


Petals To Heaven

by taupeyends



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Royalty, But mostly angst, Don't be fooled the woosang is platonic, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Huan Zhu Ge Ge AU, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Misunderstandings, Slow Burn, also yeah i made eden the emperor but he's not exactly a good man in this fic, chef's kiss, hongjoong is a badass mf is what i said, idk he's kinda sketchy at times you can decide for yourself, jongho is precious and Trying His Best, mingi is kinda angsty here but he gets better, san is determined to prove himself but he's also very cute, seonghwa is the crown prince.., the ot8 dynamic is strong in this one, wooyoung makes a mistake but it's Not His Fault!!!, yeosang is an angel, yunho is a ball of sunshine but he also kicks ass
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:13:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27036238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taupeyends/pseuds/taupeyends
Summary: Kang Yeosang's long journey comes to an unexpected stop when he chances upon Jung Wooyoung - an street thief with no family, but whose smiles are deceivingly bright.Their friendship blooms fast, but quickly becomes perilous. One wrong move would warrant a death sentence for Wooyoung, Yeosang and the rest of their friends - princes and servants alike.Eight young men are thrown into a tale of deceit and desperation, with rags and royalty joining to form a rag-tag band fighting to reveal the truth without losing their lives to the Emperor.
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Kang Yeosang, Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi, Jung Wooyoung & Kang Yeosang, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Comments: 27
Kudos: 72





	1. Cycles of Destiny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look who's back with another fic 😀😀😩😩
> 
> I swear I never intended to come up with another fic so soon! This is actually based off an old Chinese drama Huan Zhu Ge Ge, but I thought this would be fun!
> 
> This is an A/B/O universe, although the A/B/O is minor at best. The term "Dam" is used to refer to the parent who gives birth and "Sire" is used for the other parent regardless of gender.
> 
> There are slight, non-explicit mentions of suicide in this chapter, so please take caution going forward!
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter!

The palace looms far in the distance, stretching leagues away from where Yeosang stands.

And yet, to see it with his own two eyes is an encouraging reminder of just how far they have come in the past few months - he and Mingi have struggled through the scorching desert and braved the harsh rain to reach Hanseong, where the imperial palace sits, housing every royal prince, princess, and consort; every guard and every servant; every rat and every roach all within its closed-off walls, locking out anyone who is not welcome, who does not belong.

And in those very walls, somewhere in the heart of Joseon's royal residence, is the Emperor.

Praised by the commoners as a fair king whose nobility lies not only in his title but in his wisdom and compassion, he is the ruler of the nation, the Alpha, whose blood it is said runs with the power of the Sky God. He is the very heart, the very backbone of the country.

And, if Yeosang's dam's words as she lay on her deathbed were truly claims made out of cold, clear mindfulness, and not some semblance of delusional fantasy, then the same divine blessings course through Yeosang's veins.

Because the last thing his dam had said before her illness took her away was that his estranged, unknown sire was none other than his Royal Highness.

Yeosang had initially thought to dismiss it as delirious rambling, her own desperate way of seeking closure regarding the scholar who had stayed with her family for a period twenty-three years ago, promising to come back for her, only to leave and never be seen again. Yeosang had refused to believe that he could be a long-lost prince of Joseon; the very notion seemed laughable even to himself.

But his dam had shown him the proof of his parentage - the fact that apart from a broken heart and a secretly growing belly, Yeosang's sire had also left her with an elaborate folding fan, decorated and painted by his own hand, as well as a painting on a scroll, accompanied by the poem he had written for her with the stamp of the royal family's crest declaring the sincerity of his love for her.

All lies, all meaningless, as Kang Jisoo later wept to her omega son on her deathbed. 

And yet Yeosang could always see right through her bitter facade, could see that deep down she still longed for him, could see even as a young pup how her eyes seemed to look at him but her gaze would pierce right through, as if seeing someone else's soul embedded within her little boy.

Yeosang knew from the way she had kept the scroll and the fan so carefully, so secretly from his sight, that she had never fully given up on his sire.

But life was unpredictable and she had been taken away before her time, and it was up to Yeosang to see that her secret, coveted wish was fulfilled. Such had been the circumstances surrounding his long, painful journey across half the country, and such was the manner in which he had finally arrived at his current destination. 

"The palace," murmurs Mingi beside him, bringing him back to the present, dispersing the memories like a drop of water distorting a clear reflection in a lake. Yeosang shakes his head slightly to clear his thoughts, then smiles ruefully in response.

"Near at sight. And yet," he lets out a sigh, "still so far."

Yeosang tries to block out the brief feeling of hopelessness that surfaces within him at the thought of how they - two outsiders carrying nothing but Yeosang's late dam's jewelry, money and treasured fan and scroll - can ever hope to gain an audience with the Emperor.

Mingi, however, as always, is ready with an optimistic rebuttal. "Aish! Do not look so discouraged," he berates lightly, turning to Yeosang. "We have gone through much to be here, and I would think our progress has not been for nothing."

And although his words cannot guarantee the security of their future, Yeosang is once again struck by overwhelming gratitude for Mingi's grounding presence. The beta has been his friend and loyal servant for as long as he can remember, initially employed by Yeosang's dam to keep her lone son company from the tender age of five summers old.

Now, with both of them at twenty-one years old, Mingi has become his steadfast traveling companion for the past three months or so; a ray of constant sunshine in the shadowed uncertainty of their journey. Yeosang can only hope Mingi knows how deep his appreciation for him goes; there is no way he can put it into words. 

"I should certainly hope so," says Yeosang, and into those words, he pours all his meaning: his anticipation, his anxiety, and his determination. 

Wooyoung had initially thought of this little escapade as just another run-of-the-mill looting opportunity. No different from the countless other occasions on which he had successfully broken into the houses of lower-ranking officials; or more occasionally, commoners who were lucky enough to know the comfort of a soft bed and yet unfortunate enough to have been targeted by Jung Wooyoung, thief of the streets and bandit of the night.

Wooyoung surmises they would not miss one or two missing silver ingots; would not notice if a pearl necklace or if one antique vase out of dozens had disappeared.

And one of the most opportune events to steal a few trinkets - or as Wooyoung prefers to think of it - to make a living for him and the rest of the kids back at the residential compound- is on the eve of a mating ceremony.

From his vantage point, poised carefully on the roof where he is hidden in the shadows, the omega has a clear view into the room in which a young man is engaged in heated conversation with an older woman.

From their faint arguing and from his own research asking around at the market, Wooyoung knows that the young man must be none other than the unwilling omega betrothed to the son of Minister Lee, who so happens to be the official who owns the house and, by extension, the roof Wooyoung is currently perching on.

It isn't at all rare for matings to be arranged in favor of pragmatism, but in all his years of experience listening in on the conversations of those he steals from, Wooyoung has yet to witness an omega so bold as to continue to fight against the idea of an unwanted union, even up until their very last night of freedom.

As interesting as the market gossips seem to find this tragic tale, Wooyoung cannot find it in himself to feel pity for this omega. Not when the man is currently arguing with his dam-in-law to be over _unwillingly_ being mated into a wealthy, respected family and Wooyoung struggles every day to feed himself and his family.

Wooyoung may be nothing more than a street rat with no known blood family, but he is grateful for the limitless freedom it grants him; not having to be tied down to any filial sense of duty, just an instinct to survive and provide for his foster family back at the residence. 

Shifting impatiently, Wooyoung wishes the omega and the woman would just finish up and go to sleep so he can finally infiltrate the building and locate the dowry. A single handful of the elaborate necklaces and gold ingots would be enough to feed Wooyoung and his family for a month.

Eventually, the voices die off, and the window goes dark as the candles are snuffed out. Wooyoung listens until the woman's footsteps retreat into the distance, then waits another few minutes before slowly moving to peek through the window and make sure his plan is not foiled by the bride spotting him jumping across to the opposite roof.

What Wooyoung sees, however, alarms him greatly; it is nothing he was expecting. 

The young omega bride is standing on a low stool, eyes closed and face resigned, grasping the makeshift rope made out of his bedsheets and draped over the rafter to create a crude noose.

Even as Wooyoung watches in horror, the young man has already secured the loop around his neck, foot poised to kick himself off the stool he is standing on. Wooyoung flounders helplessly for a moment; a picture of the omega's lifeless body suspended motionless from the ceiling like a grotesque puppet flashes through his mind.

It is this horrifying image that shocks Wooyoung out of his senses, and before he can question his sanity or stop his foolish reflexes, Wooyoung is already tumbling through the window, landing with a thud so that the young man, rather than kicking his stool out from under him, instead jerks his head towards Wooyoung in surprise and bewilderment, and an unmistakable hope. 

Yeosang is fuming by the time he and Mingi arrive back at the tiny room they have rented as their temporary lodging; it is a far cry from the luxury the omega grew up with, but a sacrifice he is willing to make nonetheless.

It has only been a week since that day they stood looking out over the palace from afar, yet now it seems a lifetime ago with how quickly they discovered just how impossible it was to find a way to get word to the emperor. 

So far, their method has been through appealing to the officials, who have done nothing but turn up their noses at them and refuse to hear Yeosang out beyond "My dam has died and left me with a duty", before dismissing him as a desperate street fraud looking to make dishonest money.

Yeosang has pleaded, begged, and even gone so far as to shout and seethe, which only serves to give the haughty alpha officials a sense of twisted amusement to add to their disgust.

On one occasion, Mingi had to bodily drag him away before he lost his temper and lunged at a minister who had been utterly amused by his story and mocked his dam as a "delusional whore, to have deflowered herself before marriage to birth scum like you." 

As much as Yeosang tries to deny it, seeing so many officials laughing at his helplessness and frustration, the omega has already begun to lose hope, has begun to secretly resent his dam for sending him on a gruelling journey just to be met with taunts and no end in sight.

Yet despite his anger, he cannot find it in himself to distrust his dam's claim. If there is one thing he can stand by, it is that his dam's story rings true with him. Even sick and dying, Yeosang knows his dam would not have lied to him about something so severely punishable by the law, and by the Gods.

Weeks after arriving at the capital, Yeosang is almost at his breaking point when Mingi finally comes to him bearing news of a possible opportunity for them.

One of the officials' sons will be married tomorrow, and the feast is open to the public - possibly in an attempt to earn the favour of the common people, or to play up the generous pretense the official wants to present.

Yeosang and Mingi have yet to attempt to bargain with this man, Minister Lee, so it is with a traitorously hopeful heart that Yeosang goes to sleep that night, praying to whatever deity is listening that this is his chance, that he might finally be heard.

Wooyoung isn't sure exactly as to what went wrong, or whether it was a series of careless mistakes on his part that led to his current predicament.

But here he is now, getting chased by a troop of guards under the command of a livid Minister Lee, who did not take the news very well when Wooyoung accidentally blew his cover as the orphan Jung Wooyoung and not the omega son of a scholar who had been betrothed to Minister Lee's son. The young bride is long gone by now, or so Wooyoung hopes fervently, cursing how badly his plans have crumbled to the ground since last night when he had interrupted the omega bride's suicide attempt to strike a deal with him.

Everything had gone according to plan at first. That morning, the young bride had obediently allowed the servants to dress him up in the tradtional mating ceremony garb, complete with the veil obscuring his face, then requested to be left alone by the servants for him to spend his last moments as an unwed man in solitude.

It was at this moment that he had let Wooyoung in through the window where he'd been perched on a tree outside, before they had hastily proceeded to switch outfits. Wooyoung remembers winking at the boy just before the veil fluttered over his face, obscuring his vision. The bride had made his escape through the same window Wooyoung had entered from, hoping to go unnoticed in his commoner disguise. Where he is now, Wooyoung has no idea. 

Wooyoung had been confident that he could get away with the ruse. It was just as he had persuaded the man the night before, that everyone would be none the wiser as to the fact that the intended bride had been replaced with an impostor, since they were of roughly the same height and build, as well as the fact that the mating ceremony veil and pre-mating suppressants were particularly handy in hiding one's face and scent, and hence identity. 

Wooyoung hadn't suggested this scheme purely out of noble intentions to help the bride. Everything boiled down to his initial motive; it was all the better for him if he could gain unrestricted access to the dowry, to the wedding gifts, to the food and the elaborate decorative trinkets, a handful of which would be enough to trade for food for all the kids back at the residential compound for at least three week's worth of meals.

It was risky, of course, but Wooyoung was confident in his ability to tackle the danger and emerge victorious from the other end as he always had. 

Fate, it seemed, had other plans.

As soon as Wooyoung had completed the first phase of his ruse - performed the traditional bowing and paying respects to the in-laws with his face veiled and identity hidden, then paraded around the courtyard for the benefit of the guests - the omega had faked a headache, and once he was left alone to rest shortly, had made a beeline for the treasures lining the tables.

It was just his bad luck that caused a servant to walk into the room just at the very instant he removed his veil to act as a makeshift satchel in which he could carry the goods he was already planning to make off with. The baffled servant had immediately realized something was wrong and sounded the alarm. The guards had burst into the room just as Wooyoung leapt out the window, still clutching his bundle of stolen treasures to his chest.

In all actuality, his plan is not hindered terribly at all; Wooyoung had been just about to make his escape anyway, just that he is now forced to do so in a much more conspicuous manner than he had initally planned, dodging screaming guests and hurling whatever furniture he can grab behind him in a desperate attempt to throw off his pursuers.

Running as fast as he can while laden down with his stolen loot, Wooyoung scurries blindly through the Lee household's garden and grounds, only to be faced with a dead-end in the form of a high wall. The only way out is to scale the wall, which is near impossible with the heavy weight dragging him down. 

Cursing angrily and bemoaning his wasted efforts, the omega tears open his makeshift satchel, managing to stuff two handfuls of treasures into his trousers' pockets before the guards come into sight, barrelling towards him with brandished weapons, forcing him to abandon the rest of his loot and make his hasty retreat up the wall, careful not to drop anything. 

To his dismay, the chase does not end there. Apparently, the guards had been anticipating him on the other side, leaving him stuck at the top of the wall between angry mobs on either side. 

"Come back here right now!" comes a sudden angry shout from slightly behind the first batch of guards; apparently Minister Lee has decided to join in the spectacle. He isn't looking too good, Wooyoung decides, what with his rumpled robes, panting mouth, and red, indignant face.

"What have you done with the bride?" he bellows, the veins on his forehead bulging.

Wooyoung does not bother answering, too busy planning his escape. In his current situation, he is left with few alternatives.

Taking a deep breath and sending up a quick, insincere prayer for luck, he darts across the top of the wall to an adjacent tree and swings himself down from a branch, before landing sprawled on the ground.

It takes him only a few seconds to regain his bearings before he is up and off again, this time dashing through the streets, running into people and upending wagons of fruit as they shout after him indigantly.

But Wooyoung cannot run forever; he is already wheezing, exhausted despite the promising weight resting in his pockets, heavy against his aching legs.

What he needs is to find a good place to hide and wait for the commotion to die down, to let the guards fume for a while before they eventually give up the chase so that he can make a safe retreat back to the residential compound where Yeonjun, Kai and the others are waiting for him. 

And at that very moment, one of the deities must have decided, albeit rather belatedly, that it is about time Jung Wooyoung was punished for his wrongdoings, because a hand shoots out of nowhere, clamps down firmly on his shoulder from behind, and a stern voice speaks directly into his ear in a tone that demands no argument.

"Come with me."

Yeosang isn't sure what exactly had compelled him do what he did, to decide to help out the strange young man - a burglar? - who had quite literally ruined all his plans by crashing the wedding without warning.

In fact, Yeosang had expected to be furious at yet another chance of speaking to his sire being thwarted by this gatecrasher, whose sudden appearance had wreaked mass havoc and caused the ceremony to promptly descend into madness before Yeosang and Mingi could even get anywhere near Minister Lee.

Yet here Yeosang is, pulling the strange omega firmly along by the arm into the small, rundown building in which their rented room is located. 

The omega seems to trust Yeosang's spontaneous resolve because he does not argue or protest, but lets himself be led along meekly, pulling off his mating ceremony garb to leave him in tattered underclothes.

Yeosang can feel Mingi glancing at him periodically out of the corner of his eye, yet the beta does not protest, but remains silent in a show of trust in his friend. None of them speak until the door has closed behind them, leaving them within the four walls of their small, dingy bedroom. 

Yeosang cannot help but look to the young omega in an attempt to gauge his reaction towards their poor living conditions, half expecting some form of skepticism or judgment. What he gets is something else. 

"Nice place," says the omega, and it is his voice that initially shocks Yeosang; it is much chipper and full of mirth, more cheerful than he would have expected. The young man grins, his mouth stretching into a large smile that is strangely endearing and compliments his pretty features.

Yeosang would question the fact that the omega sounded as if he'd genuinely meant it when he'd unironically complimented the shabby state of their lodgings, but the boy is already speaking ahead of him.

"Thanks for helping me out, back there." He pauses, seemingly trying to get a contradiction out of Yeosang, or perhaps a show of hostility or betrayal, but when Yeosang only nods back and smiles politely at him, the boy eventually shrugs.

"You can call me Wooyoung, then," he offers cheerfully, accepting the idea that Yeosang, a stranger, has offered his help to a delinquent, for reasons Yeosang himself can't fathom. It was all spur of the moment and unprompted by anything, but it had felt right.

Like Yeosang had unknowingly been walking in the wrong way all this time and this, this was his first step in the right direction. 

It's this thought that makes Yeosang open up to this boy. "I'm Kang Yeosang," he says, gesturing to Mingi, "and this is my companion Song Mingi. We arrived here only a week ago, after a very long journey from the west."

Wooyoung doesn't try to ask why, just nodding attentively, and Yeosang feels himself warming up even more to this boy,

"Yeosang? That's a pretty name," he remarks sincerely, and Yeosang smiles, once again endeared by this strange boy.

"Welcome to Hanseong," Wooyoung says, still grinning at them. "I've lived here all my life. I could show you around sometime." 

Next to Yeosang, Mingi clears his throat. "If you don't mind me asking," he starts, without any hostility in his voice, just genuine bemusement, "why on earth were you posing as the bride? And what did you do with the actual bride?"

"I didn't do anything to him." Wooyoung takes a seat on the edge of the bed without asking, but Yeosang finds he doesn't mind too much, just continues listening. "I made an agreement with him. He was about to take his own life the night before his wedding, but I was spying on him and managed to stop him."

Wooyoung ignores Mingi's very audible inhale and continues speaking. "I persuaded him to trade places with me, said he could have his freedom and I could have my chance to loot the wedding dowry. It was a win-win situation."

Wooyoung winks at Mingi, who raises his eyebrows but cannot fight back his small grin. "I imagine he's probably elated now, enjoying his newfound freedom," he adds.

Mingi seems to find this answer satisfactory, because he nods, then changes the subject. "Where do you live, then?" he asks. "We haven't seen you around before."

Wooyoung hums at that. "I stay a bit further out, nearer to the outskirts in a residential compound with my little brothers and the grandparents. Not my actual family; I don't know who my birth parents are. Just people whom I've grown up with and love like my family."

"Speaking of which," he stands up, moving languidly towards the door before stopping to face them, "I have to get back in time to help prepare dinner. They should be getting worried by now."

Wooyoung bows deeply to them. "Thank you for your help, Yeosang-sii and Mingi-sii. I hope to see you again very soon."

Yeosang returns the bow, his lips lifting up at the corners, but he doesn't bother trying to rein it in. "Don't need to be so formal, Wooyoung. Have a safe trip back."

"But please do come visit us again," he adds as an afterthought, only half-joking. "It gets rather dull, me and Mingi sitting around all day. I would very much like to meet your family at the compound."

Wooyoung face splits into another one of his trademark cheeky grins that Yeosang is quickly growing fond of.

For reasons unknown, Yeosang already trusts this omega like an old friend; Wooyoung makes him feel as if his loneliness has evaporated into thin air to be replaced by a new sense of excitement for what this new development may entail.

"I would like nothing better, either," Wooyoung says. "I think they would love to meet you two. I will try to come back soon, so please do not go anywhere."

Yeosang opens his mouth to agree, but then Wooyoung is suddenly striding forward and taking his hand.

Thrusting his own hand into his pocket, he draws out a closed fist, then raises Yeosang's hand and deposits something rough and compact into it.

"Returning the favor," he says lowly, cheekily, then withdraws, already moving towards the exit before Yeosang can even react. Stopping with his hand on the door frame, he turns back to them one last time.

"Take care, Yeosang-ssi, Mingi-ssi," he says cheekily with a lilt in his voice, then waves goodbye and just like that, he is out the door, so quickly that Yeosang finds himself reeling from what has just happened, questioning if Wooyoung was perhaps a figment of his imagination, so bored and restless had he grown waiting aimlessly for something to happen.

The only proof of his existence is the small canvas pouch full of wedding jewelry nestled in Yeosang's palm, which Wooyoung had pressed firmly into his hand before he could even begin to comprehend what was happening.

So then Wooyoung had seen through their pretense; had seen how they were secretly struggling to live off the dwindling stash of money they had left, and had generously spared some of his loot from earlier in the day to help ease their burden by some. 

Even if Wooyoung only saw it as his way of repaying Yeosang for helping him out, Yeosang is nonetheless grateful; moved by the simple gesture.

Mingi' small laugh of disbelief draws him out of his musings. "He's quite a strange one," Mingi says. "But I like him for it." Yeosang nods in agreement, thoughts still distracted.

Yeosang has only known Wooyoung, and only on the surface, for less than an hour, and yet his departure feels strangely significant, as if this is a sign that something has begun to shift, to change, and that perhaps the deities have not in fact been ignoring Yeosang, but are finally putting into action their plan, and Wooyoung is the catalyst for it all.

It feels like finally, something is about to happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Woosang in this fic is meant to be platonic, as much as it might seem otherwise. 😔
> 
> In case you're thinking this fic looks familiar, it's actually one of my old fics that I'd written for another fandom I'm no longer in. That fic is abandoned, but recently I've been thinking I'd like to rewrite it for this fandom instead.
> 
> This originally wasn't A/B/O, but I really couldn't think of a way to keep some scenes I wanted otherwise, so 😩
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy this rather short introductory chapter!


	2. Those Glittering Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .. i am... so sorry for the made-up historical elements...

Wooyoung makes good on his promise earlier than Yeosang had expected.

The next time Yeosang sees him after the wedding is only five days after their first meeting. The moment Yeosang swings open the door, half-expecting it to be the landlord about to evict them for whatever reason, he is met instead with a familiar bright smile. 

"Hello," says Wooyoung, and bows while Yeosang is still frozen in surprise. "I've come back to visit you. I hope you did not have any plans today." 

Yeosang smiles, delighted, as Mingi comes to join him at the door from where he had been sorting through their remaining stash of money to ration it out. "Not at all," says Yeosang. "I meant it when I said Mingi and I were growing bored quickly with nothing to do and nowhere to go."

Wooyoung's eyes twinkle, nodding as if he has been expecting this answer. "Then I suppose you would not object to going on a little excursion with me today?" he asks. As if he does not already know Yeosang's answer. "I was planning to visit the market today to trade my... _winnings_ for some clothes and food." 

The subtle suggestive emphasis on _winnings_ is not lost on Yeosang, nor on Mingi, who lets out a small huff of laughter.

"I am not surprised in the slightest," Mingi murmurs, then says louder, "I personally would love to get out of here. Master Yeosang, I presume, feels the same way, judging from how he has been complaining about the heat and the smell in here."

Yeosang elbows the beta half-heartedly, feeling the excitement already bubbling up in him at the prospect of finally spending quality time outdoors, but also at having made what he hopes is a friend in this unfamiliar city. "Let us go, then," he says. "Just give me a moment to gather my things."

And a few minutes later, the three of them are stepping out the door, away from the dingy, musty confinement of the room. 

The trip to the marketplace turns out to be more enjoyable than Yeosang could ever have imagined. 

Wooyoung is evidently familiar with the area, having spent his whole life in the capital city of Hanseong. The omega weaves through the stalls with confident ease, shouting greetings to vendors who smile back at him in amusement, only sparing Yeosang and Mingi cursory glances, as if it is a common sight to see Wooyoung towing around two unfamiliar men.

Yeosang supposes that one could easily pinpoint the fact that they are outsiders to the city merely from the way they gape at every little sight surrounding them: the stalls laden with juicy fruit, the way fishmongers chop off the heads of fish, the young children running and laughing amongst the wagons without a care in the world. Some of them even stop to say hello to Wooyoung, whom they address excitedly as "Youngie-hyungnim". 

Yeosang smiles to see it. "How old _are_ you, Wooyoung-ssi?" he asks at one point, curious as to whether he or Wooyoung has spent more time on this earth. 

Wooyoung hums thoughtfully, then says, "I do not know my exact date of birth. The grandmothers at the compound say I must have been around one year old when they found me on their doorstep. If that is true, then I suppose I am twenty-one this year."

The answer saddens Yeosang for a moment but also serves to renew his sense of respect towards Wooyoung. For a man who knows so little of his origins, of his heritage, Wooyoung is still the brightest soul he has encountered, heedless to whatever obstacles fate decides to throw in his way.

"We are the same age, then," says Yeosang, pleased. "I was born during the summer, so the odds of you being older than me are about half-half." 

Wooyoung smiles at that, then directs his attention to Mingi. "What about you, Mingi-ssi?" he inquires. 

Mingi, who has been looking around him with the wondering air of a man who has not seen sunlight for ages, now looks at Wooyoung. "I am the same age as Yeosang, so if you two are the same age, then so am I, Wooyoung-ssi." There is a playful lilt to his voice, and Yeosang is delighted at how easily the two are getting along.

"Very well, _Mingi-yah_ ," says Wooyoung, and their playful back-and-forth carries on with ease as they wander amongst the stalls, watching Wooyoung bargain with the vendors, charming them into giving him cheap prices for their goods. Yeosang raises an eyebrow at how none of them question where Wooyoung could have obtained the ingots and the pearl necklaces he is trading in for food and clothes.

Inspired, Yeosang and Mingi try their hand at bargaining with a merchant selling bread, but neither of them has the conniving charm nor the tactical strategies Wooyoung possesses, so Wooyoung inevitably pokes fun at them when the vendor remains unmoved by their weak attempts at haggling for cheaper prices.

Yeosang does not mind; in fact, the omega cannot recall the last time he has had so much fun. It must have been years and years ago, or perhaps none of his experiences so far can match up with what he has done today.

By the time the sun is starting to sink, the three of them are each carrying an armful of goods, most of which consists of Wooyoung's vegetables, fruits and bread, as well as a few tunics and a book he claims is for his younger foster brothers.

Wooyoung insists he can carry his things by himself, but Yeosang surprises them all by asking if he and Mingi would be intruding if they stopped by the compoud with Wooyoung. 

Wooyoung is all too delighted at this, and Yeosang almosts suspects he had been silently hoping for one of them to request a visit. "Let's go!" he demands, excited, almost skipping as he leads Mingi and Yeosang along. 

As Wooyoung had mentioned during their first meeting, the compound where he lived was a distance away from the center of the capital, so it takes them quite a while to reach; by the time they have arrived at the front gate, the sky is already velvet black, the moon shining down on them. 

Yeosang was somewhat aware from the way Wooyoung dressed, as well as the fact that he had to resort to thievery to survive, that Wooyoung and his foster family were far from well-off.

That, however, does not prevent the heartache Yeosang feels at the sight of the unkempt garden full of sprawling weeds, at the walls black with rot and grime, and the way Wooyoung does not bother to lock the gate securely because no thief in their right mind would come to steal from such a run-down place devoid of worldly value. The compound itself isn't small, but it is bare and minimal in nature, with little furniture. 

As they approach the central building - more like a small shed - they are met by a group of children, ages ranging from eight to thirteen, alphas, omegas and betas alike, who crowd around Wooyoung, pulling at his clothes, speaking in high excited voices about how they had porridge for dinner, how one of them had scraped their knee that morning, how yet another one had managed to finally learn a whole poem.

Wooyoung listens with what Yeosang can tell is genuine fondness, fussing over the bandaged knee of one child, praising another when he spews out a rendition of a classic children's poem. 

Yeosang watched this unfold from the side, not quite sure what to feel. Next to him, Mingi is smiling at the children's antics, but Yeosang is struck by a sudden guilt, a deep sense of shame at how he had complained and bemoaned their small lodgings back in the center of the city, not knowing how fortunate they were to have a sturdy roof to sleep under and at the very least, a decent bed and substantial food. What Yeosang had thought of as his suffering was really a blessing compared to what Wooyoung has.

Yeosang flushes to imagine what Wooyoung must have thought of him - a rich boy too used to comfort, discontented with what good fortune he has been blessed with. 

The shame festers within him for a while, until Wooyoung looks over to them, gently disentangles himself from his brothers, and makes to introduce them, pulling Yeosang and Mingi forward gently.

"I'd like you to meet my friends," he tells his brothers, and Yeosang feels a pleased tingle at the word " _friends_ ", feels his guilt dissipate easily at Wooyoung's sincere enthusiasm.

Wooyoung proceeds to introduce the two parties; Yeosang has trouble matching the names of these children to their faces - Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Soobin, Kai and Taehyun - but he tries his best, and is rewarded for it by the satisfaction of having little hands reach up to him, hearing their voices calling him "Yeosang hyungnim," and Yeosang's heart feels so big he thinks he could burst. 

Their visits to the compound do not stop there. Over the next two months, Yeosang finds that the time he and Mingi spend at the compound with Wooyoung far outweighs the time they spend in their little rented room.

Most of his days are now filled with teaching the kids how to read and write, laughing with Mingi as Wooyoung spews out story after story about his many escapades in the city, blushing as the grandmothers call him pretty and urge him to "eat more, too thin!" despite the fact that Yeosang is an outsider and that they have limited amounts of food. Yeosang is touched by their concern and determined to do what he can to help them out. 

And he says so to Mingi. "I'd like nothing better than to help them," he says one night as they lie in their room, already feeling the absence of laughter and joy they have grown accustomed to.

"If I could," he confesses to Mingi, "I would much rather move in with them. I wouldn't mind living life there, even if I never do get to meet my sire." Mingi listens silently, and just before Yeosang falls asleep, he hears his servant murmuring, almost to himself, "So do I."

So the next time they visit, Yeosang makes sure to bring along the money his dam had left him, as well as the additional income he had earned selling her jewelry at the market the day before. While it pains him to let go of her possessions, Yeosang knows she would have wanted him to do what he can to help this little community he has come to call his own. 

Wooyoung initially protests at this. "They were your dam's things," he says, sadly, as if feeling Yeosang' own heartache as his own. "We would have been okay without them. Yeosangie, you didn't have to."

Yeosang just shakes his head. "I wanted to," he says. _I wanted to, this is my choice, for my family._ "Let me do this much, Young-ah. I've grown so fond of the grandmothers, the grandfathers, and the kids; I've come to see this place as my home away from home. Let me do this much, please."

"They adore you too, you know," Wooyoung says. "They're always asking about you all the time, when are you coming back, why do you have to leave so soon every day."

And Yeosang doesn't have to say it out loud, but Wooyoung seems to see it in his eyes, the question he has been longing to ask but is afraid to voice out.

"Move in with us," Wooyoung asks of him. "You and Mingi should move in with us." And Yeosang's answer is on the tip of his tongue even before Wooyoung has finished asking.

Life in the compound is so much better with Yeosang around. 

He and Mingi are like the missing pieces in the jigsaw puzzle that has made up his little family for all these years; only Wooyoung had been unaware of the gaps waiting to be filled until Yeosang and Mingi had literally dragged Wooyoung into their life.

It feels as though he has known them for ages, as though while they grew up miles away from each other, some piece of Wooyoung's spirit had attached itself to them and has only now flown back to rejoin the rest of his soul. And while he loves them both like his own brothers, there is something special in the connection he feels with Yeosang. 

Yeosang, who is selfless and stubborn in his kindness, who sacrificed his beloved dam's belongings to help them, who undoubtedly has grown just as attached to the compound as Wooyoung has.

Wooyoung is in awe of him for this, is grateful to the sun and the moon and the stars for having guided him to a kindred spirit, who understands him so well in such a short period of time, who is the first person Wooyoung's age whom he can call his true friend. 

For the next month or so, life is better than it has ever been. Yeosang and Mingi are wonderful to have around, and Wooyoung has forgotten how things felt without their presence.

Yet he is afraid that one day, Yeosang will wake up and realize his foolishness, and that he and Mingi will pack their bags and leave, never to return.

Wooyoung knows this will never happen; knows Yeosang is not that kind of person, but he cannot help but be afraid.

Yeosang is not offended when Wooyoung voices this fear to him; instead, Wooyoung watches as Yeosang's face lights up, eyes sparkling with fervent excitement. 

"Then I know the perfect way to prove to you," says Yeosang with determination, "that I will not leave."

And it is in this way that Yeosang tells Wooyoung that, under the watchful eyes of their family and the authority of the gods above, Yeosang wants to swear brotherhood with Wooyoung.

It is with complete readiness and a sense of _rightness_ that Wooyoung agrees. 

They do not waste any time. In fact, that very night, they hold a small ceremony under the night sky in front of all the compound's residents, swearing under oath to cherish each other as brothers, to bind themselves in a way that transcends blood relations, but is born out of a stronger bond; one that is made by choice and love for a kindred spirit. 

Everyone cheers and whoops once they have sealed their fates together as lifelong brothers. Mingi grins unrestrictedly, and tells Wooyoung, in jest, "I am entrusting my master to your care. Please take care of him," to which Wooyoung hastily agrees, only half-joking. The children are delighted to welcome another official older brother, swarming around them.

Yeosang happily accepts the flower crown Kai has braids for him, deposited such that it sits lopsided on his head. The grandfathers sigh wistfully, reminiscing their own days as young men frolicking around with their comrades, while the grandmothers fuss over them and wish them well. 

Just like that, another piece of Wooyoung's soul is complete. 

Things come to a more serious standstill once the celebration has died down, and everyone but Yeosang and Wooyoung has retired to bed, worn out by excitement. 

Yeosang had pulled Wooyoung aside after everything, saying in a low voice that he had something to share with Wooyoung. Yeosang had shot a meaningful glance at Mingi, which apparently meant that Mingi was to guard the entrance to their room and ensure nobody was around to eavesdrop.

As of now, Mingi's silhouette is clear and distinct against the translucent rice-paper coverings on the door as he stands outside like a sentinel. Yeosang's face is grave, brow furrowed slightly as his teeth worry at his bottom lip.

Wooyoung can hardly stand this anticipation but waits silently until Yeosang is ready to speak. And he does, beginning in hushed whispers, so that Wooyoung is forced to lean forward to hear what he is saying. 

"I told you," Yeosang says, "that Mingi and I had come miles from the west a few months ago after my dam passed. I said that she had left me with her belongings, some of which I sold."

Wooyoung nods, and Yeosang continues. "There are two of her possessions which I still keep, and which are important above everything else to me. I have never shown them to anyone but Mingi."

Yeosang stands, retreating into the shadows for a while, rummaging in his tiny clost, finally retrieving a bundle tied together by a string. This he carries back to where Wooyoung sits opposite him on the bed. 

Yeosang unfolds the cloth. Wooyoung waits in anticipation. 

It is a small hand fan, and what appears to be a scroll. At first Wooyoung questions why Yeosang considers these two artifacts more valuable than his dam's gold jewelry, but refrains from making comments. Yeosang is silent for a moment before he continues speaking. 

"These were the only things my sire gave my dam before he left," and oh, it makes sense now, Wooyoung supposes. "This fan," Yeosang unfolds it to reveals a small painting of a peach blossom, "he painted by hand, and it represents the peach blossom trees which were in bloom during the period when my parents first met."

"And this," here he unravels the scroll. Wooyoung watches as it unfolds into a painting of a lakeside pagoda, with a short poem written in flowing Chinese calligraphy next to it, which Wooyoung, of course, is unable to read.

"My sire drew this place where he used to meet with my dam, and he composed this poem to speak of his love for her which bloomed like the flowers on the trees. I suppose," Yeosang smiles sadly, "that means he must have loved her at least to some extent."

Wooyoung observes the scroll again - it really is quite beautiful, and he understands why the omega has kept this treasure so secretly; such a meaningful gift from his sire to his dam is not something to flaunt to outsiders. But now, Wooyoung is his brother, and he has been entrusted with this secret. 

It is then that Wooyoung notices something at the bottom of the poem. "He signed his name," Wooyoung says, surprised, pointing to the red ink stamp near the corner of the scroll, but Yeosang does not look surprised, "He did," says Yeosang. "His family crest," pointing it out on the stamp, "and his family name, Kim." 

It takes a moment for the name and the crest to register with Wooyoung, but when it hits him, Wooyoung gasps out loud. "Do you mean to say," he whispers fervently when Yeosang shushes him, "that your sire belongs to the house of Kim? The Imperial Household!" Yeosang hums in affirmation and Wooyoung carries on, frantic.

"Do you know who he is? It is no wonder your dam wanted so badly for you to find him! Is he a minister? A prince?" Wooyoung is almost horrified at the thought of having sworn brotherhood to a member of the royal family, however distantly related Yeosang may be. "Why have you not contacted him? One of the ministers in the area is certain to know him! Perhaps he even lives around here!" 

Yeosang waits for Wooyoung to stop panicking before he shakes his head with a rueful expression. "I know exactly who he is." Wooyoung opens his mouth to protest, but is promptly silenced by Yeosang's look. "His name, written here, is Yonghwan. So I know his full name - Kim Yonghwan. And if you know of the royal bloodline, then you know Kim Yonghwan was a prince during that time."

"Not only so," Yeosang continues softly, "but he was the sucessor to the throne. And when Emperor Sunjong passed, Yonghwan took over the throne and became the current Emperor of Goryeo, residing in the imperial palace even as we speak."  
  
Wooyoung has been listening with growing horror and disbelief, and it all builds up until it whooshes out of him in a strangled squeal, leaving him breathless, doubled over and in shock.

Yeosang hurries to grab him, presses his hand against his mouth to muffle his noises, his touch urgent and firm. "Please be quiet, Young. You can never tell anyone, Wooyoung. Never, not a single soul. Do not even speak of it outside the four walls of this room. Nobody but Mingi knows. This is why I waited to tell you about my sire, and why I have not succeeded in earning an audience with His Majesty."

Wooyoung wheezes, shaking his head, unable to process his own thoughts. "Your sire is the Emperor," he says, dazed. "You are a prince. What have I done," shaking, he brings his hands up to clutch at his hair. "I've sworn myself to brotherhood with a _prince_! Yeosang, what were you thinking! I am a commoner! A peasant! How could you suggest becoming my brother while you knew the truth all along! The gods have presided over this; there is no way to undo it-"

"Who says I want to undo it?" demands Yeosang, his voice taking on a rough edge, yet still speaking lowly, as if the walls themselves are listening in. "I know what I was doing, Young. Status and wealth do not concern me. In fact, if my dam had not made her request, I would have been content to take this secret to the grave. As it is, she has asked me to fulfill this one mission, and tell my sire of my existence as a lost prince, and I am obliged to do so."

The fear, the shock has not worn off yet, but Wooyoung can understand the steadfast determination lacing Yeosang's words; it is in Yeosang's nature to be loyal to a fault, to do whatever he can not to let anyone down.

And now Wooyoung understands his resolve, his dilemma. As a commoner, it is just about impossible to meet the Emperor, especially with such a bold story to tell. Going around boasting of such claims, even with the proof, is enough to warrant execution. 

"Which is why," says Yeosang, quietly, "I have reached my wits' end. I do not know where to go from here. There is no way to break into the palace, and even if the emperor were to venture out of the palace, I would be stopped before I could get anywhere near him." His voice belies his hopelessness, his frustration. 

But, unbidden, a plan is already brewing in Wooyoung's mind, ever since Yeosang mentioned the emperor venturing out of the palace.

While it is true that whenever a concession is held in the city, the emperor's sedan will be heavily guarded, that does not mean that there is no way to meet with him in person. In fact, there is one golden opportunity - one chance which promises more potential than any of the brazen, impossible alternatives.

There are risks, of course, there are, but Wooyoung believes it is worth at least trying. He contemplates not mentioning it in fear of giving Yeosang false hope but decides to speak up anyway, knowing he would never forgive himself if he did not at least bring up this possibility. 

"I think," says Wooyoung slowly, voice hoarse as Yeosang turns to look him in the eye. "I think I have an idea, Yeosangie."

And it is the spark of hope that ignites in Yeosang's eyes that convinces Wooyoung he has made the right choice. 

The fight is not over yet, and Wooyoung vows to do all he can to keep that flame of hope simmering in Yeosang's gaze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter we meet the rest of the gang and everything promptly goes to shit 😀


	3. Song of the Archer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look I'm not sure if I should apologize for cranking out these chapters so fast but the reason for that is because these are all pre-written chapters from my original fic and I want to get to actually writing instead of just pulling up old drafts and changing the names to suit the new characters 
> 
> that being said please enjoy the super fast update!

In essence, the plan had seemed simple enough to Wooyoung. It was nothing grand or furtive or complicated. In fact, he had thought it seemed fairly foolproof.

Every year without fail, the emperor and his entourage would venture out of the royal grounds on a hunting expedition in the nearby mountains, shooting for game in sport.

As a young pup, Wooyoung had always been in awe of the shouting, the booming horns and sound of horses galloping that were carried by the wind down to the base of the mountain where he used to sit and play pretend as one of the riders in the emperor's entourage - perhaps a nobleman with a bow and arrow, perhaps a bodyguard, perhaps just a flag-bearer blowing a horn. And sometimes he would imagine himself to be His Majesty, grand and resplendent astride his steed, leading his men at the forefront of the activity.

And as such, Wooyoung had been struck by the notion that, if only the three of them - Woo, Yeosang and Mingi - could scale the mountain from the opposite side, then they could easily sneak into the grounds and hopefully come face to face with the emperor himself. The hunting grounds were not so heavily guarded while the actual hunting took place, so it would not be too difficult to enter the forested area through the crude mountain-pass.

Perhaps it would be his undoing, as it had been that one time at Minister Lee's foiled wedding, but Wooyoung was confident of his plan.

Wooyoung, however, failed to take into account that fact that not everyone was as accustomed to scaling heights and braving the outdoors as he was.

Unlike Wooyoung who grew up surrounded by nature and its coarse, raw landforms, Yeosang had grown up surrounded by books and his calligraphy brush, trained not in the art of scaling walls or tumbling around in the dirt, but taught to read, write, and sing by a tutor his dam had personally employed, brought up in the ways a proper omega should have been trained.

As such, Yeosang's hands are smooth, unroughened by callouses as Wooyoung's are, and the extent of his ability to locate and grasp instinctively at handholds in the rock face of the mountain is equivalent to Wooyoung's ability to compose entire poems and ballads. Which is to say nonexistent.

Panting with exertion, Yeosang drops to the ground, sweat dripping from the ends of his hair into his eyes, face red and drawn tight in frustration, chest heaving up and down, the bundle containing the fan and scroll strapped securely to his torso.

"I can't do this, Wooyoung," he says, voice tense and shaking on the verge of bursting with frustration. "I have never climbed a mountain, nor even been near one."

Wooyoung releases his hold on the rocks, jumping down to land on the ground next to Yeosang, where Mingi has long given up and is already standing helplessly next to his master.

"Yeosang, please," he says, feeling the way Yeosang begins to bristle in protest, and perhaps humiliation at his incompetence, but Wooyoung is not about to make fun of him, nor blame him for the way in which he was raised without any exposure to this level of physical exertion.

"I know it's difficult, but this is our only chance, our best shot at getting to meet the Emperor. Do it for your dam, Yeosang. We have to at least try to get up there."

"I am trying," growls Yeosang, but there is no real bite to his voice. Rising to his feet, he kicks weakly at the ground. "I'm sorry, Wooyoung. I shouldn't be complaining when it's my fault we're all stuck out here."

"Don't say that," Wooyoung chides, already turning back to the mountain face, sizing up potential handholds where weeds grow out of the rock surface. "I promised to do all I possibly could to help you, and I am not going to go back on my word. Come on, Mingi," and Mingi groans, but painstakingly lifts himself to his feet and squints at the mountain, looking as if he would very much like to drop on the spot, no doubt only keeping himself together for Yeosang's sake. "Let's not give up now when we've come this far."

They progress, slowly but surely up the mountain after that, but Wooyoung knows that they are not moving fast enough. From his position far ahead of the other two, Woo feels worry gnawing at him from the inside. It's imperative that they scale to the top before the hunt is over; Mingi and Yeosang, however, are lagging far behind, but it is not as if Wooyoung can fault anyone for it.

It is at that moment, however, that things go all wrong.

Yeosang, reaching up to grab at a ledge in the rock, suddenly lets out a sharp cry of surprise as the rocks under his foot give way.

Belatedly, Wooyoung shouts in response, reaching out as if he can stop time in its tracks, but it is too late - Yeosang is already tumbling down the mountain, where he eventually lands crumpled in a heap, sprawled at the base. Wooyoung feels his heart stop.

"Yeosang!" shouts Mingi, already half climbing, half sliding down the mountain. Wooyoung jolts out of his paralyzed state and follows suit, heart hammering a rapid, stuttering beat in his chest like a war drum, panic smothering his thoughts. He stumbles down the mountain in a daze, coming to a stop where Mingi is already hunched over Yeosang.

To Wooyoung's utmost relief, Yeosang is well enough to sit up and is already checking over his fan and scroll frantically to ensure they are undamaged, before cradling them to his chest with a sigh of relief. Wooyoung sends a prayer of gratitude up to the gods, that Yeosang had only fallen from a relatively small height, then drops to his knees next to Mingi.

"Are you hurt?" is the first thing that comes out of Wooyoung's mouth, although, once he takes a good look at Yeosang, he knows it is a stupid question. Yeosang is sporting a number of scrapes, but the most alarming thing is the sight of his ankle, twisted in an unnatural way. Yeosang grimaces.

"Not too bad," he lies through his teeth, but Wooyoung can clearly see through his act that Yeosang is fighting off his tears. Wooyoung doesn't know whether they are tears of pain, or tears of frustration and anger at the thought of having to sacrifice this chance to meet his sire.

"I'm so stupid," seethes Yeosang, teeth clenched and voice trembling, and Mingi looks struck, as if he has never seen Yeosang so visibly wound up. "This isn't fair," he chokes out, face contorted with the effort of fighting back his tears.

"This isn't your fault," says Wooyoung gently, but Yeosang doesn't really seem to be listening, eyes fixed unwaveringly on a spot on the mountain face. Wooyoung speaks anyway. "It's my fault for suggesting this and not thinking about you or Mingi."

Wooyoung staves off the guilt that rises unbidden within him, but his next words betray his emotions, voice unsteady. "I'm so, so sorry, Yeosangie. If I could do anything," Wooyoung gulps, "I'll make it up to you. There has to be another way."

Mingi is silent, sitting there with unshed tears glistening in his eyes, but Wooyoung doesn't miss the glance he throws Wooyoung's way, simmering with an underlying resentment and blame, for having brought about this disaster.

Wooyoung cannot fault him for that, so he just sits there looking at Yeosang, pleading with him to do something, say something, hit Wooyoung or yell at him. Wooyoung is already berating himself for his foolishness.

Yeosang, however, does nothing of the sort. Tearing his gaze away from the rocks, Yeosang looks directly at Wooyoung, his eyes piercing. Wooyoung cannot look away.

"You can," he says in response to Wooyoung's words. "Young, look at me. This sounds mad, but this is the perfect solution to everything." Beside him, Mingi looks as though he has swallowed something sour, but does not speak up. Wooyoung listens with bated breath, eager to make it right, to fix what he has caused.

Yeosang's voice has taken on a hard, steely edge which leaves it almost unrecognizable. "There was no way Mingi or I could scale the mountain anyway," he says matter-of-factly. "Listen, Wooyoung. You were the only one who ever stood a chance of getting up there. All we've done so far is slow you down. We still have a chance of reaching the emperor if you go alone, bring the fan and the scroll and speak to the Emperor on my behalf."

And this, Wooyoung supposes, is befitting of Yeosang to ask of him. At times, he is reminded of the fact that Yeosang is a prince, and this is one such occasion; the way Yeosang's voice holds no room for argument. Not that Wooyoung would have dreamt of opposing him either. This mission is his just as much as it is Yeosang's, ever since the moment they had sworn to be brothers.

"I'll do it," he says, without hesitation, resolve lacing his words. He looks Yeosang back in the eyes, strengthening his gaze and straightening his back, determined to finish what he has started. "I won't fail you this time, Yeosang, I promise."

Yeosang's expression softens. "You never failed me the first time, Young-ah," he says, and this is the Yeosang that Wooyoung has grown accustomed to. Almost immediately, all the tension and anxiety in his bones melts away. "I have nobody to blame but myself for presuming I could undertake such a journey up the mountain. In fact, I have to thank you." Yeosang bows to Wooyoung, an awkward gesture due to the fact that he cannot move his lower body, but Wooyoung is moved all the same.

Bundling up the artifacts, Yeosang ties it off and hands it over to Wooyoung without hesitation, trust written in his features. Wooyoung receives the bundle like a general receiving his sword from the king.

"We must hurry," Yeosang reminds him, and Wooyoung nods, rising to his feet. "I'll be fine," he says, already moving towards the mountain. "I will not let you down, Kang Yeosang. I swear this as your brother."

Yeosang smiles at him gratefully. "I know you won't," he says. Then, "please be careful, Young. I would never, ever forgive myself if something happened to you on this mission."

"Nothing will," says Wooyoung, already at the base of the mountain. He stops to looks back at Yeosang and Mingi, who is still avoiding his gaze determinedly.

"See you on the other side," he jokes, trying to lift his mood as much as theirs, and then, turning to the mountain, begins the steep climb up, moving swiftly and lightly, determination driving his movements, not once letting his gaze stray from the top.

Yeosang watches Wooyoung go with a heavy heart, feeling deep in his bones that something is not right, but it is too late to stop the omega - he is already shrinking into a small dot on the sheer, unforgiving surface of the mountain.

It is only days, _weeks_ later, when Yeosang cries himself to sleep every night, that he curses himself for having let Wooyoung go. 

San isn't a stranger to the rush and the adrenaline that comes with every hunt, but this particular year, there is something in the air. A sense of anticipation, almost tangible, hanging over everyone's head, that he has never before sensed during their previous hunts.

Whether this is a good omen or a bad omen remains to be said. Whatever it is, San is feeling uncharacteristically confident today, determined to prove himself to his sire, to the guards and to the physicians trailing behind the entourage, that Fifth Prince San is no longer a child, but a man, a grown Alpha in his own right. 

Which proves difficult, especially with his comrades-in-arms constantly hanging about him. 

As if summoned by his thoughts, Hongjoong materializes at his side, mounted on his horse. "You look to be deep in thought today," the omega drawls, raising an eyebrow at San, who scowls and is prepared to make the witty comeback of _"So what?",_ but he is cut off by Yunho and Jongho appearing at his side. 

"It's a rare sight to see Prince San pondering over his thoughts," agrees Yunho, cheeks bunching up irritatingly prominently. When they had been younger, San used to make it a habit to poke his fingers into Yunho's cheeks just to watch his beta cousin howl in pain. Even as a 21-year-old, San isn't too sure he is above such behavior. Perhaps his sire and the court members are justified in their perception of him as an immature prince.

Next to him, Jongho giggles at their antics, no doubt smug at seeing his hyung being bullied even though Jongho himself is the youngest and, in San's sullen opinion, should have been the designated bully-victim of their little gang.

Out of the three, Yunho is the only one who's actually related to San by blood - the son of San's dam's sister, though Hongjoong and Jongho might as well be his cousins too, with how close they are to him and to one another. San has known them all for as long as he can remember. He's been with them through every major milestone, from Hongjoong's revolutionary achievement as the first omega to become the Royal Guard of Command, to Yunho graduating as a top scholar of his class, to Jongho climbing the ranks to become General Jeong's - Yunho's sire - most trusted apprentice in arms.

Together with Seonghwa - the Crown Prince, Alpha heir to the throne - they had all grown up together in the palace, bickering and caring for one another in the way that brothers show their love. 

At times like these, however, San would like nothing better than to clobber his friends over their big heads. It's especially annoying when they know San lacks Hongjoong's sharp reflexes and thus is incapable of coming up with witty retorts beyond "Go away", "Shut up," and "Whatever." This time around, San opts for the latter. 

"Whatever," he says sourly, and Yunho, Hongjoong and Jongho just about bust their lungs, cackling at him as if they had been waiting for him to say that. San deserves more credit for putting up with them.

It's a testament to his great patience, the way he waits for them to sit upright, gasping, and regain their composure as befits three noblemen astride their great horses, just as the whinny of a horse announces Seonghwa's arrival beside them. San can only thank the gods for the fact that his older half-brother was not present to mock him alongside his cousins, else he might have suffered more at the expense of Seonghwa's good-natured but no less aggravating teasing.

Seonghwa reels his horse in to maneuver slowly past Hongjoong. San catches the way his older brother's hand lingers ever so discreetly against Hongjoong's lower back as he passes, and resists the urge to roll his eyes at their never-ending clinginess despite the pair having to keep their relationship a secret from the court and, more importantly, from the Emperor.

"Sire is in a good mood today," the Crown Prince remarks by way of greeting, stopping his horse next to San's. "Says he has a good feeling about today's hunt."

"There _is_ something different this year," says San, eager to share his earlier musings. As much as his friends enjoy teasing him, they never fail to listen to and respect him, which San is grateful for. "Today I want to do something big. I want to prove to Sire that I'm not a child anymore, and I want to show everyone that they should stop treating me as such."

"Aish," says Seonghwa. "You've changed, San-ah. This is the first and last time I shall admit this, but you really have grown up. Sire doesn't show it often, but he's told me before how proud he is of the Fifth Prince."

Seonghwa's words immediately lift San's spirits to the heavens. Before he can express his joy, however, the horn is already booming through the grounds, cutting off his words, signaling the gathering of the hunters before the hunt officially commences. 

"Let's go," San says instead, and the five of them wheel their horses around towards the Emperor. 

Wooyoung makes it to the top of the mountain in under half an hour, collapsing to the soft forest ground as soon as he is over the edge of the cliff.

Peering down, he can make out nothing but land all around - he is too far up to spot Mingi and Yeosang. The hunt has not commenced yet, judging by the lack of activity stirring the forest creatures, but from experience, Wooyoung knows it will be starting soon. 

In the meantime, Wooyoung takes the time to catch his breath and assess his surroundings. The forest is relatively tranquil and calming; but it is an anticipating kind of quiet; the calm before the storm. The bundle strapped securely to Wooyoung's chest serves as a reminder of the gravity behind this trip to the forest. Wooyoung reminds himself for the hundredth time that he must remain vigilant at all cost; he cannot afford to let Yeosang down. 

The sound of the horn blasts suddenly through the forest, booming and intrusive, and just like that, marks the beginning of Wooyoung's mission.

The hunt has only just begun, yet San is already restless, feeling the adrenaline coursing through his veins, nerves thrumming with excitement. His friends have already ridden ahead of him in pursuit of game, yet San feels no need to rush, but instead focuses on keeping his eyes peeled for movement between the trees. 

As the hunt progresses, San finds himself venturing further away from the rest of the hunting party, and deeper into the undisturbed part of the forest. Hoping to spot some big game - a bear, perhaps, or a deer - the alpha slings his bow off his back, keeping his weapon ready on standby, eyes darting around in anticipation. 

And suddenly, as if his expectations are materializing, or as if the gods have decided to bestow their favor upon him, there is a magnificent young stag standing between two trees directly in San's line of sight. San's breath catches in his throat. Seized by a sudden frenzy, a silent victorious exclamation of triumph, San raises his bow, keeping his movements slow and silent. 

A small rustling in the foliage behind him diverts some of his attention to the arrival of Yunho behind him. Luckily, the stag is not scared off; in fact, it stands there, eerily still, as if defying the hunter and challenging the notion of death. Yunho has yet to see the stag, so upon making eye contact, San raises his finger to his lips and jerks his head in the direction of the animal.

Yunho follows the motion, gasps nearly inaudibly in surprise when he spots San's findings, but nods encouragingly to San, who smiles back and readies his stance, nocking an arrow, aiming at his target. _I am the Fifth Prince, San, and I am no longer a child_ , he thinks, before he lets his arrow fly.

What follows next is the beginning of disaster. 

In the time it takes for his arrow to whistle through the air, the stag shifts, without warning, then gallops away into the woods, avoiding its demise. In its place, appearing just as mysteriously and suddenly as the stag had, is a young omega, shock marring his pretty features, hands clutching a bundle to his chest, eyes locked with San's, who finds himself mirroring the omega's surprised expression.

They hold eye contact like this, both frozen in apprehension, rooted to the spot, just before San's arrow finds its mark in the young man's chest, embedding itself in his body. Red begins to paint his tunic, blooming like a peach blossom unfurling, deadly yet mesmerizing. 

The omega collapses to the ground, snapping San out of his trance as he springs into action, Yunho close behind. 

The hunt is, understandably, brought to an abrupt end.

The emperor is initially furious, his previous good humor dissipated into thin air, demanding to know why an insignificant commoner has managed to interrupt their activities. Seonghwa's sire is like that - one minute laughing his great booming laugh, the next threatening punishment and wrath on whosoever has been unfortunate enough to cause him displeasure. While Seonghwa considers him a good man at heart, he is all too aware of his sire's mercurial temper. 

Not that he can blame his sire too much. Seonghwa himself was stunned to see San and Yunho on horseback, bursting into the clearing where the emperor had been hunting, subsequently scaring away all the animals.

What shocked everyone the most, however, was the sight of an unfamiliar young man propped up against the Fifth Prince's chest, an arrow sticking out of his chest like some demented monument, bleeding to death. Needless to say, his Majesty had not taken it well.

Initially, Seonghwa had thought of it as nothing, just that some dimwitted commoner had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, with no idea that the royal hunt was in progress.

Hongjoong, however, is not the Royal Guard of Command for nothing; his sharp gaze spots something that immediately puts Seonghwa on guard.

"He is dying as we speak, and yet his hands have not once left that bundle of his," Hongjoong remarks to the Emperor, in front of the entire entourage, which has gathered in the clearing upon hearing the blast of the horn signalling the end of the hunt, far ahead of schedule. "I would advise your Majesty to take caution; for all we know that young man is merely waiting for the right moment to unsheathe whatever weapon he is hiding and put an end to either the Fifth Prince's life, or His Majesty the Emperor's."

Hearing this, Seonghwa's sire immediately orders San to drop the alleged assassin to the ground, yet for some reason San hesitates, finally making the effort to maneuver off his horse and lay the young man gently on the forest floor.

Blood seeps from his wound into the dirt as his head lolls backwards, and Seonghwa doubts he is acting when he coughs up blood. It's a wonder the omega is still conscious, and Seonghwa decides to say so, in an attempt to placate his sire's wrath. 

"He is not in the right mind to attack any of us, even if he should wish to do so." Seonghwa locks eyes with his sire, attempting to get him to calm down. "Let us inspect what he is carrying in his bundle before we make any rash decisions, Sire."

Seonghwa chances a glance at his friends. Jongho's face is pale, eyes wide. Hongjoong is stiff, eyes narrowed in distrust at the intruder. Yunho's chest is heaving like he's just run a marathon, and San - San looks petrified, hands hovering aimlessly above the injured omega's torso, uncertain and lost. Seonghwa swallows down his unease and looks back to his sire, nodding to affirm his stance.

The emperor considers the Crown Prince's words for a moment, then gives consent to San, who gingerly lifts the bundle out of the omega's lifeless arms and reveals its contents for all to see.

Through the pain and the shock, Wooyoung tries his best to remain aware of his surroundings, but it is growing increasingly difficult to keep his eyes open, let alone to remember why he is here. His consciousness is hanging by a thin thread, and Wooyoung fears what will happen should this thread snap before he can carry out what he was sent to do. 

Wooyoung tries his best to resist when he feels the bundle being lifted out of his arms, but he has lost the strength to do anything but lie there, feeling his life seeping away from him, helpless and unable to do anything. "No," he tries to protest, but his strength fails him yet again. 

_Yeosang, please forgive me,_ he wills silently even as he struggles to make a sound. 

San stands, bringing the fan and the scroll to his sire. He is, admittedly, lost as to why this strange young man would infiltrate the royal hunting grounds carrying such bizarre artifacts.

Yet for some reason, San finds himself fearing for the man's life. All the same, he hands the objects over for his sire to inspect. 

And when his sire's angry expression suddenly morphs into one of shock and disbelief as he holds the fan and scroll, lips parting in a nearly inaudible cry of anguish, San is nearly as stunned as he had been when the young man had appeared in place of the stag, as if summoned by some unbidden, unknown longing. 

Wooyoung finally, finally gathers what remaining strength he has left, to croak out, "Your... Majesty..."

It is barely more than a whisper, but through his half-closed eyelids, Wooyoung seems to see the emperor's head lifting to look at him directly. Strengthened by this thought, Wooyoung finds it in himself to speak again.

"Your Majesty," he tries again, and now he is certain every eye in the clearing is fixed on him, the only sound being his feeble voice; even the forest animals have gone silent. Wooyoung thinks of Yeosang and chooses his last words carefully, already feeling himself slipping. 

"Do you.... remember... 21 years ago... from the Peach Blossom lake... Kang... Ji... Soo?"

And just like that, the last of Wooyoung's strength leaves him, and he is falling headfirst into darkness, into a deep slumber that brings him no peace nor rest. 

Hongjoong watches as the emperor sits paralyzed astride his horse. Beside him, Jongho is barely breathing, his chest rising and falling shallowly as they gaze at the emperor in anticipation and in trepidation, at seeing their king so lost for words, so helpless, as they have never seen him before. 

As soon as the young man's breath whooshes out of him and his head lolls limply to the side, however, His Majesty bursts into action. 

"Physicians!" he bellows, an uncharacteristic franticness lacing his words, panic inhibiting his movements as he makes to get off his horse.

Hongjoong can only stare in unbridled shock as the emperor kneels on the ground, uncaring of the way blood seeps into his royal garments, cradling the head of the young man lying lifeless on the ground. 

"Save this boy!" he orders as the physicians swarm forward, and Hongjoong feels the same way he had at 10 years old, the shock and betrayal he'd felt when he had fallen out of a tree after climbing onto a branch he had thought for sure would support his weight, only to suddenly find himself plummeting through the air and landing on the floor with a harsh jolt, the breath knocked out of his lungs.

Through it all, the emperor continues to shout orders, threatening to have the heads of the physicians should they fail to save this boy, this stranger whose appearance has suddenly upended all semblance of order amongst the court. 

He barely registers San, Yunho and Seonghwa coming up to stand beside him and Jongho, feels dread rising up within him as if something huge is in the wind, as if some ominous premonition has only begun to make itself seen.

In front of them, the emperor is visibly shaken; his body is shaking, his voice is shaking, and his hands are shaking desperately at the unconscious young man, hopelessness and grief marring his royal features as he begs the young boy to wake up.

Throwing his head up to look at the sky, the emperor lets out a loud cry to the gods, shocking everyone in the vicinity into momentary stillness, before the action resumes at a pace twice as frantic as before. 

"Somebody save my son!" the emperor screams towards the heavens, and next to Hongjoong, San chokes on a sharp breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and, well... I did say everything would go to shit really quickly, didn't I?
> 
> hope you enjoyed, and if you've come this far please leave a comment! I live on comments because I am in desperate need of validation ha ha ha


	4. Bleakness in the Heart

Yeosang cannot remember ever feeling this anxious.

He and Mingi had arrived at the residential compound little under an hour ago, after seeing Wooyoung off at the mountain. And yet, Yeosang still cannot shake the feeling that he has done something terribly wrong in allowing Wooyoung to scale the mountain by himself, is ashamed at how readily he suggested for Wooyoung to undertake this immense burden in his stead.

If he could turn back time, Yeosang thinks he might have just accepted defeat, resorted to waiting for the next open opportunity rather than go looking for it, but now it is too late and Yeosang is stuck with the ever-present feeling of wrongness.

His injured foot, bandaged and cleaned, still throbs in tandem with the scrapes on his elbows and arms; a constant reminder of Wooyoung. Yeosang cannot help but wonder where he is now, or if he has already met with the emperor. Whatever the case, when Wooyoung returns, Yeosang vows to make everything up to him by spoiling him rotten.

He refuses to even acknowledge the idea that trouble may have befallen Wooyoung, refuses to entertain the terrible thought that Yeosang might have been the one to send Wooyoung into danger.

The last thing Wooyoung had said before they parted was that he would come back safe and sound.

Yeosang is inclined to believe his brother.

Mingi stands up from where he has been crouching in the dirt, tending mindlessly to their little vegetable patch. He wipes the sweat and grime off his forehead, grimacing at how it does little to help but only smears the dirt over his skin.

His thoughts are still running, have been running and running nonstop ever since he and Yeosang came back from the mountain, leaving Wooyoung to venture forth unaccompanied.

Mingi knows that he treated Wooyoung unfairly by pinning the blame on him for what had happened when really, Mingi himself was just as much at fault, if not even more so, for failing to prevent Yeosang from going up that cursed mountain in the first place. And now, not only is Yeosang injured, but Wooyoung has gone off into the unknown, and Mingi's instincts are blaring with unease.

Over the past few weeks, Wooyoung has become a close friend to him, has become like a brother, someone Mingi genuinely cares for and enjoys spending time with. Despite that, Mingi has never been able to regard Wooyoung with as much blind trust as Yeosang had.

Because Mingi had promised to Mistress Jisoo before her death that he would give his life to shield Yeosang from any form of harm, and that meant that Mingi had to be on constant guard around anyone who was not Yeosang, even if he had to compromise on his friendships.

Perhaps in another life, Mingi would have had no qualms about putting his utmost trust in Wooyoung, but as it happens, in this life, Mingi's first priority is Yeosang's safety.

Today marks the first time Mingi has let his late mistress down, and Mingi is determined not to let a repeat occurrence happen.

Brushing himself off, Mingi walks into the room where Yeosang is sitting deep in thought, no doubt still thinking of Wooyoung's whereabouts. Mingi wants nothing more than to tell Yeosang that worrying about something he cannot change is useless and brings more harm than good, but he knows Yeosang is stubborn and will continue to do so anyway, so he saves himself the trouble.

Clearing his throat to announce his presence, Mingi addresses Yeosang.

"I'm going to the market to get more herbs for your foot." Yeosang only nods distractedly. Biting back a sigh, Mingi moves across the room to grab their pouch of coins.

"I'll be heading out, then," he says. He does not wait for Yeosang's reply before he is striding out the door with quick steps.

Hongjoong wallows in his thoughts the whole ride home.

In light of recent events, the emperor had ordered that they take the shortest possible route back to the palace to ensure the injured omega received proper treatment for his wounds.

The physicians had already reassured His Majesty that San's arrow had not pierced deep, nor had it damaged any major organs. Perhaps under any other circumstances, San might have been disappointed at this show of his incompetence as an archer, but Hongjoong saw clearly how his features had sagged in great relief upon hearing the news.

Even so, the omega was far from out of danger, which was why they were taking a direct detour towards the palace instead of going back the way they had come through the mountain pass, by cutting through the heart of the city, even if it meant inconveniencing the market vendors and commoners.

His Majesty clearly had more important things to worry about, Hongjoong muses, but he has yet to understand the reasoning behind why this boy is so important to His Majesty. The looks Seonghwa had shot him as they'd all scrambled to leave the hunting grounds tells him that the Crown Prince is just as lost as Hongjoong is. 

No matter. Hongjoong will have plenty of time later to discuss the matter with his lover in private. For now, his concern lies with what exactly the strange omega has to do with the king. It's a mystery he cannot crack, and the uncertainty of it all leaves Hongjoong uneasy in its wake.

And so here Hongjoong is, sitting astride his horse at the front of the concession, Yunho and Jongho riding next to him. Behind them, San and Seonghwa flank the Emperor's sedan, in which the king sits, accompanied by the injured boy, whom His Majesty had positioned gently and carefully inside with his own two hands.

And it is this thought that again reminds Hongjoong of the strangeness of today's entire spectacle.

Hongjoong had been there to witness how the Emperor had called the boy his son; which explicitly made him a prince. A long lost prince, unheard of and unacknowledged by the royal court up until now.

But it had to be true, from the way the emperor had reacted genuinely to the boy's allusion to a woman - Kang Jisoo, presumably his dam - as well as the fan and scroll which Hongjoong was inclined to believe had likely been possessions of this woman during the time she had met with the Emperor, possibly even gifted to her by His Royal Highness himself.

Unfortunately, the fact that the boy had shown up alone, as well at the rather belated timing of his arrival twenty-one years after the alleged meeting of his parents, all hinted at the likelihood of Kang Jisoo having had passed on.

Although the facts do tie up nicely into a reasonable enough conclusion, it does not make it any less difficult to digest this possibility.

Hongjoong is brought back to reality by Yunho announcing, rather unnecessarily, that they are about to approach the heart of the market. Already Hongjoong can hear the guards shouting to make way for the concession, clearing out the stalls and forming a human barricade pushing back the crowd of twisting bodies, all straining and craning to catch a glimpse of the concession.

The gossip is already starting to spread amongst the crowd, judging by the murmurs and whispers joining the general cacophony.

Hongjoong squares his shoulders, keeps his gaze forward and tries to hide his troubled thoughts.

Mingi is far from pleased when his trip to the market is rudely disrupted by an abrupt commotion.

The intial shouting begins some distance away, causing Mingi to look up from the herbs he had been inspecting. 

The disruption, however, quickly escalates into organized chaos as a horde of guards emerges out of seemingly nowhere and begins to push back the vendors, swarming around wagons to clear a path, shouting to make way for the emperor's approaching concession.

At the mention of the emperor, Mingi's thoughts immediately fly to Wooyoung, even as he is elbowed and manhandled by the masses surrounding him, shoved back and forth by a growing mass of bodies clamoring to witness the concession ahead.

If the emperor is coming back already, then the hunt must be over. Wooyoung had managed to make it to the top of the mountain, of that Mingi is certain.

But then does that mean Wooyoung is now part of the entourage, riding back victorious, or had something happened to him even before he could meet the emperor? Where could Wooyoung be now, if not with the emperor? Mingi strains on his tiptoes, trying to catch a glimpse of the approaching concession.

Something has gone wrong at the hunting grounds. One look at the expressions on the riders' faces - some grim, some troubled, others still blank from shock - is enough to alert Mingi to the fact that, whether it involved Wooyoung or not, something had befallen the entourage on their expedition. The idea of it makes Mingi's heart drop.

Craning his head, Mingi catches a glimpse of the royal sedan, which has been sealed off securely by the shut windows, concealing the emperor from view.

The thought of Wooyoung having met some tragic fate, all alone in the mountains, with his last thought of Mingi being that the beta resented him, is enough to drive Mingi into desperate action.

Somehow, in the midst of all the shoving and pushing, by some rare stroke of luck, Mingi had ended up at the very front of the crowd, where the royal guards are desperate pushing the crowd back to clear a psth for the king's entourage.

Seizing the opportunity, Mingi grabs the arm of the guard nearest to him, raising his voice over the din and cacophony of the masses behind him.

"What happened at the hunting grounds?" Mingi shouts, urgent and demanding. The guard looks scandalized, revolted at having been spoken to by a peasant in this way, but the guard directly next to them - a young fellow with an eager expression - answers Mingi's question readily.

"I heard that they found an omega assassin on the hunting grounds," begins the young fellow, but the first guard immediately barks "Quiet!", cutting him off. He glares at Mingi malevolently before reaching out a hand to shove him backwards into the throng.

Immediately, Mingi is swallowed by the crowd, but his thoughts are far too occupied to register how he is being yanked back and forth by the bodies swarming all around him. One way or another, he finds himself standing at the very back of the commotion, away from the midst of the chaos.

Mingi's ears are ringing from the sudden drop in sound level; dazed, he stumbles drunkenly away from the concession, thoughts racing a thousand miles a minute, letting his legs move on autopilot.

_I heard they found an omega assassin on the hunting grounds_.

What are the odds, Mingi muses dazedly, senses still muted with disbelief. What are the odds that just after Wooyoung infiltrated the mountain, there came news of an omega breaking into the very same grounds to allegedly assasinate the king?

And Mingi knows that the penalty for attempted assassination against the king is undisputable - execution without question for treason against the crown.

The only thing he can hope for is that they killed Wooyoung swiftly on the spot, sparing him the agony of torture.

Mingi's heart drops even further at the thought of breaking the news to Yeosang, imagining how the grandmothers and grandfathers at the compound will take it, or how the young children will not understand why their older brother left without saying goodbye only to never come back.

Above it all, Mingi cannot bear to think about how he let Wooyoung go without making peace with him, letting him believe Mingi thought of him with resentment.

Mingi makes it halfway back to the compound before his knees give out and he crumples to the ground in the middle of the road, bowing his head as he breaks down in tears.

Wooyoung wakes up surrounded by warmth.

The ground underneath him is strangely soft and luxurious, the likes of which he has never felt before. Wooyoung's mind is drowsy, his memory blank, floating in a sea of nothingness and unwilling to wake up. His first conscious thought tells him that he must be in the afterlife, free of his mortal pains and suffering.

Keeping his eyes closed, Wooyoung basks in the unfamiliar luxury, marveling at how even after all his transgressions, the gods must have understood his plight, and decided to allow him to go to heaven to make up for his less-than-luxurious life on earth.

And yet, gradually infiltrating the static in his mind, Wooyoung grows aware of the soft hum of murmuring voices, accompanied by light footsteps moving back and forth across a wooden floor.

_Ah_ , the omega thinks drowsily. They must be the servants who will be waiting on him in the afterlife, ready to respond to his beck-and-call. The thought makes the corners of his mouth drag upwards sluggishly.

Yet, there is something niggling at the back of Wooyoung's mind, some important thing he has forgotten but is on the tip of his memory, something which is a matter of life-and-death to him. Wooyoung furrows his brow even as he keeps his eyes shut, trying his best to reach into his mind and retrieve whatever crucial matter he has failed to remember.

Everything comes rushing back with the force of a tidal wave, so sudden that Wooyoung's eyes fly open, gasping involuntarily for air, fighting not to scream.

He remembers it all now, everything that had led up to his last memory of being surrounded by the royal entourage on the hunting grounds - Yeosang's request, him scaling up the mountain, coming face to face with one of the hunters, then a sudden burst of excruciating pain in his chest. He remembers his panic, his fear, his struggle to speak to the emperor and his eventual surrender to the darkness.

The emperor!

Wooyoung's eyes widen in sudden realisation, and he hastily makes to get up, but a sudden pain flares through his chest, making him cry out in surprise, doubling over and wincing at the intense ache in his body, gasping for air like it will somehow relieve his pain.

All of a sudden, through the temporary shock, he feels hands on his shoulders. Someone is sitting next to him on the bed, hands cradling his body, holding him steady and telling him to relax and breathe through the pain. Even in his confusion, Wooyoung clings to the voice, trying his best to follow its gentle instructions. 

As the initial discomfort subsides into a bearable ache, Wooyoung lifts his head and comes face to face with an unfamiliar face, gazing into his eyes with concern etched across his features.

And although Wooyoung initially registers this person as a stranger - an alpha man he has never met before - something tells him that this is not the first time Wooyoung has set eyes on the person.

It takes a moment for Wooyoung to realise with a jolt of horror that the alpha holding Wooyoung upright is none other than His Majesty. Emperor Yonghwan of Goryeo, laying his royal hands on Wooyoung, who is but a commoner.

Wooyoung freezes up instantly, stiff with terror and shock.

"Y-your majesty," stutters Wooyoung, bewildered and terrified, not knowing what to say and debating whether he should pull away, but the Emperor cuts off his stammering with a fond chuckle, leaving Wooyoung to fall silent and stare apprehensively at the king laughing at him.

"There is no need to be so formal with me," says the Emperor, laying Wooyoung gently back down onto the pillows, and the omega gingerly lets himself be set down, eyes still fixed on His Majesty, half-expecting someone to strike him down for even looking at the King with so much unmasked confusion.

It is only then that Wooyoung realises he is no longer in the peasant's clothes he'd been wearing. Instead, the omega is dressed in fine silk bedclothes, his long hair undone and combed neatly, drawn back from his face. This only adds to his overwhelming confusion; biting back his urge to scream for help, Wooyoung looks around to assess his situation.

Over the emperor's shoulder, he sees the bowed figures of servants, waiting for instructions with their gazes averted. Again, Wooyoung is stunned by the dawning realization that he must be in the palace, seeing for the first time the intricate furniture adorning the chambers, and the ornate bedclothes draped over Wooyoung's own body.

The emperor must see the shock on Wooyoung's face, because he lets out another booming laugh, which echoes through the room and sounds almost menacing to Wooyoung. Wooyoung flinches imperceptibly, beginning to feel a queasy panic, an instinctual knowledge that something has gone terribly wrong.

"Do not look so frightened," His Majesty says, mirth still lacing his voice. Wooyoung, stunned dumb, does not respond, eyes searching the king's face frantically for some indication as to what is happening to him, then quickly averting his eyes and cursing himself for his boldness.

The emperor must mistake his silence for something else - sadness, perhaps - because suddenly Wooyoung's chin is being turned to the side gently by the emperor's own hand, forcing him to make eye contact with the king. Wooyoung nearly jumps out of his skin, gulping down his unease.

"What is your name, child?" the king asks. Wooyoung hesitates, feeling incredibly intimidated, but he has no choice but to slowly rasp out, "Wooyoung, Your Majesty."

Emperor Yonghwan nods like he approves of Wooyoung's name, and the omega's brow furrows unconsciously.

"Do you remember what happened, Wooyoung?" prods the king gently, and Wooyoung pauses, then nods jerkily. The emperor is silent for a moment, before sighing long and hard, resting his hand lightly on Wooyoung's shoulder. Wooyoung fights the instinct to jerk away.

"You gave us all quite a fright," the king says, almost as if to himself, then looks back at Wooyoung, who blinks at him. His mind feels as though it is stuffed with cotton; his thoughts sluggish, unable to comprehend what is going on between him and the emperor, but already he can feel the tendrils of panic beginning to grasp at his mind.

At this very moment, Wooyoung remembers with a jolt his mission, to tell His Majesty about Yeosang, and immediately opens his mouth urgently to speak.

And yet, once again, the emperor cuts him off before he can even utter a word.

"Tell me," he prods gently, not noticing the way Wooyoung withers underneath his touch, "your dam - Jisoo - where is she now? Does she still live?"

Wooyoung's thoughts screech to an abrupt halt. 

Everything hits him at once - the king's concerned expression, and readiness in laying hands on Wooyoung. The emperor has made a grievous misunderstanding, and thinks Wooyoung, not Yeosang, is the son of Kang Jisoo. No, Wooyoung thinks, frantically, panicking internally but not knowing where to start. _No, no, no, no_.

"No," says Wooyoung, and immediately shuts his mouth, because that was not what he had been meaning to say.

Flustered, he tries again, already feeling the anxiety threatening to consume his being, the sweat beading on his forehead. "I mean, no, this is all wrong. Your majesty has made a mistake. This-"

"I know," says the emperor, interrupting Wooyoung's attempts at explaining the truth, that Yeosang is the rightful prince, and Wooyoung is merely a messenger sent on his behalf.

"I made a terrible mistake, promising your dam I would come back for her. I truly meant to," he says, and Wooyoung cannot find it in himself to speak up, seeing the terrible grief etched on the emperor's face.

"How was I to know that the country would be thrown into war for the next 2 years? And by the time I returned from the battlefield, I was crowned emperor and had so many responsibilities, so many duties on my shoulders that I never had the chance to go back. It is the biggest regret of my life."

His Majesty takes Wooyoung's hand in his. "Forgive me, my son," he says quietly. "I know how you must have suffered all these years, and braved the tedious journey from afar to reach the palace. You have every right to resent me for causing so much hardship to you and your dam, but I hope to make it up to you here and now," and Wooyoung knows he should speak now, that this is his last chance to salvage everything, but he cannot find the words to speak, and so listens horrified as the Emperor continues.

"On this day, I acknowledge you, Wooyoung, son of Kang Jisoo, as my child, and as the Sixth Prince of my household."

Wooyoung's stomach plummets to the ground. _No_ , he thinks, feeling as if he is drowning, water closing in on him from all sides. _This is all wrong, all wrong._

"Come now," says the emperor, oblivious to his turmoil, or perhaps seeing it and trying to soothe Wooyoung. "Let us appease your late dam's wishes, shall we? I would like to hear you address me as Sire."

_No_ , Wooyoung wants to shout, _I need to tell you about Yeosang_ , but just as helpless as he was lying injured on the hunting grounds, he is unable to find his voice. The emperor's gaze remains fixed on him, encouraging, urging him on even as he struggles to find the words he needs to speak.

"You no longer need to be afraid, Wooyoung," coaxes the emperor. His invitation is a poisonous temptation, an easy way out of the impossible predicament Wooyoung is facing within himself.

"Come now. Reclaim your birthright as a prince. Let go of your resentment and give me the chance to redeem myself, hmm? Just call me Sire, even if it is just this once, and it shall be enough to make me content for the rest of my days."

Wooyoung swallows down his fear; closes his eyes in resignation, fighting down the bile that rises in his throat. Yeosang's face flashes before his eyes, but he is helpless to do anything - has missed his chance and now it is too late to go back.

_Forgive me, Yeosang_ , Wooyoung thinks, blinking back tears, and says, slowly, feeling himself fill with dread, "Sire."

And even as the servants kneel before him in recognition of his newly bestowed status, even as the emperor beams, radiant and delighted as he grasps Wooyoung's hand in his, Wooyoung has never felt his place as an orphan, a common street rat and now a deceitful impostor so acutely before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh no... wooyoung :(( 
> 
> the updates will be coming slower now because I actually have to start writing the chapters (only two of which are fully written as of now)... and that means I have 14 entire chapters left to write out... ahaha 😀
> 
> anyway, please leave a comment if you enjoyed and see you next update!


	5. River Of No Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little later than planned, but that's because I'll be really busy this week and next. :(
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

The sun is low in the sky, streaking the horizon with sinking rays of orange by the time Mingi reaches the residential compound.

Getting up and forcing himself to move had been an agonising process when all he'd wanted was to lie down and give up, let the gods punish him; take him away and end his misery and guilt. 

But in the end it was the thought of Yeosang, who unknowingly had already lost Wooyoung, that had made Mingi get up and begin the painful journey back. Mingi cannot let his emotions get in the way of his purpose: to act as Yeosang'a rock and shield even while he is hurting himself. 

Stopping right before the doorway, Mingi sucks in a deep breath. His cheeks feel stiff from the dried tear tracks on his face, but he swipes his sleeve across his eyes anyway before reaching for the doorknob numbly.

Yeosang is staring out the window in the opposite direction when Mingi enters. The omega turns his head to look in Mingi's direction, and Mingi feels terrible to see the way Yeosang's expression immediately morphs into one of alarm as he takes in Mingi's tear-steaked, blank expression.

Yeosang opens his mouth, urgent concern written on his face, but Mingi cuts him off, feeling drained and hollow.

"Wooyoung's gone," Mingi says, voice haggard.

It's silent. The room is so silent, the only sound Mingi can hear is his own ragged breathing and a faint ringing in his ears.

Yeosang stands there, so still and motionless that Mingi starts to wonder if he'd even heard what the beta said. Something flashes across Yeosang's face, twisting his features with a multitude of emotions that Mingi has no strength to try and decipher.

"What do you mean, he's gone," Yeosang says. He doesn't ask it like a question; his tone is flat and disbelieving. Mingi wants to cry all over again. 

"He made it to the top of the mountain," Mingi recites stiffly. "They found him. They thought," his voice cracks, and Mingi squeezes his eyes shut before the tears can escape. "They thought he was an assassin." 

"What does that mean?" Yeosang's chest is rising and falling rapidly. "Mingi. What. Does. That. Mean." 

Mingi hears the unspoken message - Yeosang is daring him to say it, even if the omega himself is in denial. Mingi is tired, so tired. 

"It means," Mingi croaks out, "they killed him." 

Yeosang stares at him blankly. Then he begins to laugh, soft and derisive at first, but then building up to a near-hysterical volume.

Mingi can only stand there, staring at the floor and shaking his head as if it will somehow dispel Yeosang's hysteria like the remnants of a nightmare. 

"Stop," Yeosang demands, and his laughter is changing, morphing into something that sounds more like sobbing. "Stop - Mingi. You know - you know that's not true. Wooyoung can't be... dead. He's not! Stop it."

Mingi keeps his eyes closed, still shaking his head, but he can't block off his hearing as easily. 

Rough, desperate hands grab Mingi by the shirt. Mingi doesn't flinch as Yeosang starts shaking him, shouting for him to _stop it, stop lying._

"Song Mingi," Yeosang half shrieks, half sobs. "Tell me... right now, tell me you're lying, goddammit. Wooyoung isn't dead, no, he - he promised me, stop it..."

The fists bunching up Mingi's shirt finally loosen and curl weakly against his chest as Yeosang breaks down. 

The omega cries openly, tears wetting Mingi's shirt, and Mingi feels useless, arms coming up to hold Yeosang stiffly. 

Once again, Mingi thinks to himself, he's failed his promise to Kang Jisoo. Try as he might, Yeosang always seems to get hurt, and the worst part is that Mingi is always helpless to stop it.

And now Wooyoung is gone forever.

Mingi blinks his own tears away and holds Yeosang tighter.

Wooyoung has yet to grow accustomed to living in the palace. 

Everything is terrifying unfamiliar. Wooyoung is still bedridden and has so far only been confined to one room, but he finds himself greatly unsettled by the way the servants treat him.

No matter how many times the omega tells them to call him by his name, they keeps their gazes averted and continue addressing him as "Your Highness," speaking to him as if he is not a mere mortal as they are, but as if he is a god. 

It sends fresh pangs through the wounds in Wooyoung's chest. Not the wounds inflicted on him by the Fifth Prince's arrow, but the wounds seared into his heart by guilt. 

Wooyoung curses himself every day for letting himself go along with the emperor's misguided belief. Emperor Yonghwan is a good man, but he is a man of immense power - Wooyoung had been too afraid of what the king might do if he found out he had been mistaken.

In his anger, would he have ordered for Wooyoung's execution right then and there? And Yeosang - he would be so heartbroken to hear that Wooyoung had been killed on Yeosang's mission. 

_But then again_ , Wooyoung thinks miserably to himself, _is it not better to die knowing he tried his best for Yeosang's sake, than to live a life of deceit_?

Every second of every minute since that day with the Emperor, Wooyoung thinks about Yeosang - where is he now? What could he be doing? Is he worried to death about Wooyoung? Or has the news of Wooyoung's unintentional betrayal reached his brother? Wooyoung wants to cry at the thought, but he refuses to be so selfish. Yeosang is the one who will be hurt by Wooyoung's lie, and Wooyoung has no right to feel like a victim.

The situation now leaves a bitter taste of irony in Wooyoung's mouth. Both he and Yeosang are the odd ones out, the misfits in their surroundings. But Yeosang is a pearl amongst grains of sand, and Wooyoung is the thorn amongst the roses. 

Over the course of the three days since he'd awoken, Wooyoung had been stunned to learn that by the king's own orders, Wooyoung has been staying in the personal quarters of Consort Choi, one of the emperor's most trusted mates. The omega has so far only received a handful of visitors: the physicians, the Emperor himself, as well as Consort Choi.

Consort Choi is a soft-spoken omega woman, whose maternal nature constantly manifests in the way she treats Wooyoung - constantly asking if he is feeling well and ordering the servants to bring Wooyoung more water.

Wooyoung, who has never known the feeling of being doted on by a parent, briefly finds himself enjoying Consort Choi's gentle attentiveness. His initial excitement, however, is fleeting - the omega is quickly overcome with guilt, reminding him that he is not here to enjoy himself.

No, the only reason Wooyoung is still in the palace is so that he can recover as quickly as possible from his injuries, after which he will waste absolutely no time in informing the Emperor of the misunderstanding. This is what Wooyoung tells himself sternly each time he unconsciously finds himself drifting dangerously near to the waters of contentedness.

This entire sham, his time in the palace, is only temporary. It's only a part of his plan to help Yeosang. He has made a promise, has agreed to carry out this mission in his brother's stead, and although he has been met with an unexpected hurdle along the way, he will not be deterred from his purpose. 

The Emperor, unaware of the truth behind everything, visits him several times a day, asking him about his life growing up and looking at him with eyes so gentle that Wooyoung wants to burst into tears and confess everything, execution be damned. 

The lies build up day by day as Wooyoung is forced to tell the Emperor stories of how his "dam" raised him, drawing from his conversations with Yeosang and hating himself as Emperor Yonghwan's wistful smiles make his heart twist painfully. And the guilt never fully goes away, always eating at Wooyoung's conscience at all hours of the day.

One night Wooyoung dreams of Yeosang appearing at his bedside, tears of blood streaking down his face, as he screams at Wooyoung for having stolen his identity, before rushing forward to wrap his hands viciously around Wooyoung's throat before Wooyoung can even begin to beg for forgiveness.

Wooyoung jolts awake with a scream in his throat, hands flying up to pry non-existent hands away from his neck.

His frantic cries rouse the servants, bringing them rushing to his bedside, followed closely by Consort Choi and the Emperor himself, clothes rumpled and hair mussed.

The Emperor shows no anger, instead rushing to Wooyoung's bedside in concern. Wooyoung should apologize for waking him, but he can only sit there shaking and petrified, tears drying on his face. Yeosang's blood-streaked face flashes before him again, and Wooyoung whimpers, not heeding the way the servants sneak discreet glances at him.

Consort Choi dismisses the servants and takes a seat beside her husband on the bed. A hand comes up to rub at Wooyoung's back, but it does nothing to quell his terror. 

"What happened?" The king prompts softly, and Wooyoung turns his teary eyes towards him, unable to speak, and then turns back away.

Emperor Yonghwan looks at him for a while, and then pulls Wooyoung closer into him, rubbing his back. Wooyoung goes willingly, desperate to distract himself from his thoughts. Next to them, Consort Choi reaches out to brush a hand over Wooyoung's hair, leaning closer to the omega.

"You do not have to be afraid of anything," Consort Choi says gently to him. "The Emperor has placed you under his protection. Nobody can hurt you, you are a prince now."  
  
Wooyoung is still quivering, fear controlling his thoughts and guilt consuming his senses. His emotions swell within him, growing and growing until he can can no longer contain himself.

"What if I am not a prince?" Wooyoung blurts out.  
  
He feels the Emperor stiffen against him and immediately knows he has made a mistake in speaking.

Before Wooyoung can even open his mouth to take it back, Consort Choi is already urgently bending towards him, grasping him by the shoulders. 

"Do not ever say such things," she hisses, looking over her shoulder as if the servants might be eavesdropping. Stunned, Wooyoung opens his mouth to apologise, but she speaks over him.   
  
"If you are not the prince, then that means that you have deceived the emperor," she says gravely, and Wooyoung's heart stops, sure that the truth has finally come out. "And if you have deceived the emperor, then there is only one punishment for having lied to the crown, and that punishment is inevitable death by execution." 

By now, Wooyoung's heart is hammering so quickly that he is afraid the king might feel it. Emperor Yonghwan has yet to say anything, and Wooyoung waits with bated breath for him to call for the guards to throw him in prison.

But nothing of the sort happens. Instead, Emperor Yonghwan frowns midly at Consort Choi. 

"Sooyoung," he reprimands gently, and Consort Choi's expression flattens out, her hands relaxing their grip on Wooyoung's shoulders, rubbing up and down in apology. Wooyoung releases his breath, still jumpy but relaxing slightly. 

Consort Choi makes eye contact with the Emperor for a few moments, before she finally hums and bends closer to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Wooyoung's ear, looking into his eyes apologetically.

"I understand why you would say such a thing," she assures Wooyoung. "All your life, you have been raised as a commoner, and as such you do not see yourself as royalty, at least not yet. You are still adjusting to this life."

Emperor Yonghwan nods in agreement and gives Wooyoung a little smile that Wooyoung does not return. His Majesty is not deterred by Wooyoung's lack of response, instead leaning in closer to peer into Wooyoung's eyes.

"Consort Choi is right, Wooyoung. You are in the palace, and I have already acknowledged you as his son. You are safe from danger here." The king runs a large, warm hand across Wooyoung's back, and the omega finds himself leaning instinctively into the touch like a lost pup. "You must put aside your past as if it has never happened, and constantly remind yourself that you are now a prince."

Wooyoung finally gathers enough strength to nod, and apologizes softly for waking them up. Wooyoung lets the king tuck him back into the sheets like a child and press his nose briefly into Wooyoung's hair before bidding the omega goodnight even as Wooyoung fights off the familiar guilt.

Once Emperor Yonghwan and Consort Choi are gone, the night is silent once more. Wooyoung lies in bed, staring at the ceiling, and finally turns to bury his face in the pillows and cry, cursing himself for his weakness and his stupidity.

He sobs silently at the fact that he is trapped, that there is no chance and there never was any chance of him righting this wrong, from that cursed moment when he had called the emperor "Sire" - not without him being sentenced to death, and Wooyoung cannot bear the thought of dying before he can see Yeosang and apologise to him for everything. 

_What have I done,_ he thinks, heart sinking, stomach twisting. 

He does not get any sleep after that. 

Seonghwa steps into his quarters, letting his exhaustion out with a loud sigh. Closing the door firmly behind him, the Crown Prince inhales deeply through his nose before turning to face the room's only other occupant. 

Hongjoong stares back at him bemused from where the omega has been waiting while poring over his books.

The mere sight of Hongjoong has Seonghwa softening, feeling the tension drain from his shoulders as he locks eyes with his lover.

Hongjoong sighs softly, standing up and drawing near to Seonghwa. Small hands come up to rest on his shoulders, and Seonghwa leans into his touch.

"I take it the meeting with His Majesty didn't go too well?" Hongjoong murmurs, massaging lightly at Seonghwa's shoulders. Seonghwa snorts. 

"You know as well as I do how stubborn he is," Seonghwa mutters darkly. "No matter how the officials and I try to get him to reconsider accepting a strange omega into the royal household so readily... he seems so certain of that omega's claims."

Hongjoong hums, releasing Seonghwa, and the alpha catches him by the wrist, pulling Hongjoong into his chest. Hongjoong relents for a moment before finally relaxing. 

"I understand your concerns," Hongjoong says. "But I also think... perhaps we should trust your sire. Clearly, he knows what the fan and scroll painting mean. _We_ do not. Besides, the omega is injured. Even if he had any ill intentions, we are in the position of power to strike him down if he tries anything."

Hongjoong pulls away slightly to peer up at Seonghwa, and Seonghwa meets his gaze fondly, tucking Hongjoong's long dark hair behind his ear. The omega is dressed differently from usual today, wearing a pale blue hanbok instead of his usual military uniform. He looks soft and sweet, and Seonghwa feels his focus slipping away from the king and to his lover, nestled comfortably in his arms. 

Leaning down, Seonghwa presses a fleeting kiss to the corner of Hongjoong's mouth, hearing the omega's breath hitch. 

"You look so pretty today," Seonghwa whispers against Hongjoong's neck, and Hongjoong shivers even as his hands come up to rest on Seonghwa's shoulders, pushing weakly in protest. 

"Seonghwa," Hongjoong murmurs, trying to wriggle away. "You know we shouldn't- we need to be careful, anyone could walk in-"

Seonghwa shakes his head, reluctant to let Hongjoong go, but it is the sound of approaching footsteps that cause them to spring away from each other, smoothing down their clothes. Seonghwa ignores the look Hongjoong shoots him, feeling a pang of frustration in his heart. 

The door opens to reveal none other than San, Jongho and Yunho. Seonghwa breathes out a sigh of relief. 

San doesn't comment on how they've obviously disrupted a private moment between Seonghwa and Hongjoong like he normally would. He only raises an eyebrow at Seonghwa, who returns his glance with a scowl.

Yunho, Jongho and San take up seats around the room, and Hongjoong moves to stand beside Seonghwa, keeping an hand curled lightly around the alpha's arm.

"How did the meeting go?" San prompts. Yunho and Jongho both lean forward, just as curious as the Fifth Prince. Seonghwa sighs, rubbing at his temples and already feeling the stress creeping back into him.

"Sire is bent on adding the omega to the royal household," Seonghwa relays to the group. "He keeps saying he is certain the boy is telling the truth. I suppose it's the fan and scroll that makes him think so."

Seonghwa shrugs a shoulder. "To be honest I suspect it's because Sire has already grown fond of the omega. Every day it's all he talks about to me. Not that I mind it. I just - I worry that - the omega might not be who Sire thinks he is."

"Wooyoung," San says out of nowhere, and all the heads in the room turn to look at him. San flushes as if just realizing what he has said. 

"I mean- I heard my dam talking to Sire," San amends. "The omega's name is Wooyoung. He's staying in my dam's quarters."

Seonghwa looks at San for a moment and then nods. "You're right, San. His name is Wooyoung. Prince Wooyoung." 

Nobody says anything for a while, and then Yunho speaks up.

"I just find it rather strange," Yunho says slowly. "Yes, he has the proof of his heritage and I do not mean to doubt him. But the way he entered the hunting grounds - he must have scaled the mountain to do so. Very rarely have I seen an omega with the ability to do so." Yunho pauses, then wiggles his eyebrows at Hongjoong. "Except our Hongjoong-hyung, of course."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Hongjoong retorts, but there is a small smile playing at his lips, and Seonghwa feels the urge to taste it for himself, their friends be damned.

Jongho stretches where he's perched on a chair. "I agree with Yunho-hyung," he says thoughtfully. "But I think maybe we should meet him before coming to all these conclusions about his intentions. If his story corroborates so closely with the Emperor's own experiences, then who are we to declare him a liar? It's up to His Majesty."

Yunho hums, San nods, and Hongjoong bites his lip. Seonghwa looks at the floor, considering Jongho's words. 

"I think Jongho is right," San pipes up. "Seonghwa-hyung, he's our brother. Maybe we shouldn't judge him so quickly."

Yunho breaks the silence by crowing obnoxiously, crawling over to Jongho to squish his face. 

"Aigoo, our Jongho! So wise and grown-up," the beta coos, ignoring Jongho's muffled protestations. San is quick to join the fray, pressing a loud smooch to Jongho's cheek despite the younger alpha's desperate screeching. 

Hongjoong laughs, already making his way over - whether to join in or pry them apart, Seonghwa doesn't know. But at the sight of his friends, the Crown Prince gives in to the fond exasperation and walks over to wrap his arms around the huddle, all thoughts of Wooyoung evaporating from his mind.

San puts off visiting Prince Wooyoung for as long as possible.

From what he knows, Wooyoung has been staying in San's dam's quarters for the duration of his treatment, and will remain there until he is healed. Seonghwa has spoken of how their sire has already ordered for Wooyoung to receive his own headquarters once he is recovered.

Only the other day, San had watched the servants hurrying in and out of Prince Wooyoung's future lodgings to prepare the quarters, polish the furniture, and arrange trays of pearls, ingots, jade carvings and precious stones as gifts from the Emperor, to welcome Wooyoung's arrival inside his new home. 

Despite being the one to suggest meeting him, San has not been able to gather his courage to pay Prince Wooyoung a visit. He had, after all, been the one to shoot Wooyoung in the chest, even though it had been unintentional. Still San is ashamed and guilty, and nowhere near brave enough to face his long lost brother.

Perhaps if it had been Seonghwa, he would not have had any qualms about owning up to his wrongs and apologising to the man, welcoming him into their household, but San is not his older brother and thus is not as confident nor self-assured as the Crown Prince. 

"It is too difficult," he laments to his personal servant, Changbin, in the privacy of his quarters. "How should I face him when I was the one to release the arrow that struck him down? He must think I am some dimwit of a prince, to have aimed at a stag and ended up shooting at a human."

Changbin only hums as he smooths out the bedclothes. The beta pauses where he has been busy preparing the bed for San to rest, and San can see him considering his words.

"I would not venture to think so, my lord," Changbin finally says. He's well accustomed to San confiding in him about all manner of things over the years, and San is eager to hear his advice now. "I would think he is far too relieved at having finally entered the palace after all his pains that he would not begrudge Your Highness for a genuine mistake."

"Besides," Changbin adds, "is it not better for Your Highness to meet him in person now and clear the air, rather than drawing it out? I am sure His Majesty would prefer for his sons to get along as soon as possible."

San hums reluctantly, acknowledging the sense in Changbin's words. It is true; San would rather get rid of any misunderstandings between them, especially since they will be seeing quite a lot of each other from now on as members of the royal family.

"You are right, Changbin," he says, as his servant smiles, amused. "Tomorrow I shall go visit my dam's quarters."

"And," San adds as a brilliant idea comes to him. "I shall make the Crown Prince come with me."

"No," Seonghwa had said initially, even after San had begged and wheedled at his older brother. "Look, I'm busy now."

Seonghwa gestures at the book he'd been reading before San had barged into his quarters."Why must you always come bother me? Surely your dam would prefer to see you without the son of another Consort tagging along."

"But hyung," San persists. "My dam wouldn't mind. She likes you because you always make her laugh, she has said it herself. Anyway, you promised that we would go meet him. So," San puts on his best pleading expression. "Let's go now."

Seonghwa pauses from where he is skimming half-heartedly through his book. San can see the gears in his head turning as he ponders San's words, no doubt weighing the benefits of his suggestion. 

San waits patiently. He already knows what Seonghwa's answer will be.

And true to expectations- Seonghwa finally sighs loudly. Snapping his book shut, the Crown Prince stands gracefully, arranging his robes so they fall elegantly around him.

"Very well, San," he says, and San sees the way he resists the urge to roll his eyes at how his younger brother immediately smiles, satisfied. "I shall indulge you this one time."

"See, hyung," says San triumphantly as Seonghwa moves to put his books away. "I knew you could never resist your favourite brother."

Seonghwa hums. "Push me some more, San," he says sweetly, "and I shall tell Sire it was you who borrowed his favourite brushes without asking, and then lost them."

San promptly falls silent. 

"He is still recovering," Consort Choi reminds them as she leads them along the corridor, stopping outside the door to the room where Prince Wooyoung is residing. "I would ask of you not to make too much noise, San," she says pointedly to San, who nods impatiently.

"I will not disturb him, Dam," he promises. "I will be respectful and quiet and I will not aggravate him. I only wish to speak to him and apologize."

His dam sighs fondly, rubs her hand over San's arm, then says "Very well," before she walks away down the corridor.

San turns to Seonghwa, who looks back at him blankly, raising both eyebrows. Despite his nonchalance, San knows his brother better than that. Deep down, Seonghwa is just as curious as he is about Wooyoung. 

Taking a deep breath, San carefully slides the door open and steps inside, Seonghwa following closely behind.

The room is empty save for the lone figure reclining in the bed at the far end - it can only be Prince Wooyoung. At the sound of the door opening, Wooyoung's head turns towards them, only for him to freeze upon seeing San and Seonghwa.

San is not sure whether Wooyoung recognises him from the split second in which they had made eye contact before the arrow pierced Wooyoung, but as Wooyoung locks eyes with him, San has the sinking feeling that the omega knows exactly who his visitor is.

They stop a small distance away from Wooyoung's bed. San cannot tear his eyes away from Wooyoung's gaze; he is immobilized by this young man's stare, pinned in place, and now San thinks he knows how Wooyoung felt to see the arrow whizzing towards him but be unable to move.

Wooyoung is the first one to avert his eyes, but still San cannot look away. The omega glances uneasily at Seonghwa before dropping his gaze, eyes darting skittish around the room as if he is nervous.

As apprehensive as Seonghwa's attitude about this visit has been, the Crown Prince, always the gentleman, takes it upon himself to speak first. "How do you do, Prince Wooyoung," he says politely, amicably. Seonghwa has never been one to show distrust to a newcomer if he can help it, always ensuring he gives off a cordial impression before anything else.

"I hope you have been recovering well. I am Crown Prince Seonghwa, and this here is Fifth Prince San."

Wooyoung lifts his head to peer anxiously at them, and then, after a moment's hesitation, moves off the bed, wincing as how his bandages must be rubbing against his wound. San stares in confusion as the omega kneels on the floor, pressing his face to the ground with his hands flat on the floor. 

Immediately, San protests, going down to Wooyoung's level. "There's no need to bow to us," San exclaims, alarmed. He lets his hand hover indecisively over Wooyoung's arm for a moment before gently grasping it. The omega jolts, but lets himself be gently pulled up. 

San supports him to rest against the pillowsz and Wooyoung thanks him in a voice barely more than a whisper. It's the first thing he's said during the entire visit. San hopes it won't be the last.

Seonghwa comes forward then, standing next to San with an apologetic smile. 

"Forgive me, Prince Wooyoung," Seonghwa says. "It slipped my mind that you were unaccustomed to your position. You need not show us any special courtesy; you are our brother now."

Wooyoung's head is still ducked down, face hidden from view, but he nods slightly in acknowledgement. San exchanges a brief glance with Seonghwa, but it's cut off by a small voice. 

"Wooyoung," Wooyoung rasps. Clearing his throat, the omega finally lifts his head to reveal his face. The first thing San notices is the small beauty mark beneath one of his eyes. Wooyoung has an angular jaw, high cheekbones and full lips - his beauty befits his status, but the sorrow in his eyes does not.

"Please - just - call me Wooyoung," Wooyoung says, finally making eye contact with Seonghwa. Seonghwa nods. 

"Very well, Wooyoung," Seonghwa placates him, smiling gently. "Then I would like for you to call me hyung, as Sannie does. He is your age, I believe, so you may address each other by name."

San shoots Wooyoung a small, genuine smile. He's rewarded when Wooyoung hesitantly returns the sentiment, lips pulling into a tiny smile that does not reach his eyes. It's a start, but once again, San wonders why the omega looks so sad. 

San remembers something else he'd meant to say. 

"Um." San flounders for a while as Wooyoung turns his gaze towards him. "I, uh. I don't know if you remember, but I was the one who accidentally shot you that day... It was an accident, I swear!" he hastily adds. "I meant to shoot at a deer, but you just appeared out of nowhere. Not that it was your fault - it was mine." 

San fiddles with his robe. "Anyway, I wanted to apologize for that. I should have been more careful."

Wooyoung laughs a little, and the sound shocks San to the core. It's a high-pitched little giggle, but Wooyoung quickly cuts it off as if he's afraid to be punished for laughing too genuinely. 

"I know who you are," Wooyoung says, seeming more relaxed than before. "I'm not mad, San. In fact-" Wooyoung shrugs a little, "I suppose I should thank you, otherwise I might not be here right now."

There is it again. The slightest hint of something poignant and heavy in his voice. San chooses to ignore it, focusing on encouraging Wooyoung to open up more. 

"That's good," San says. Wooyoung smiles slightly again, and San holds his gaze for what feels like a moment too long. At a loss for words, he looks to Seonghwa, who has been standing there and observing their interaction with approving eyes. 

San can't tell what his hyung is thinking, but he thinks Seonghwa might just be warming up to Wooyoung as Wooyoung is warming up to them. 

Thankfully, Seonghwa always knows what to say. "It must be rather dull here all day," Seonghwa remarks sympathetically. "Do you have any hobbies, perhaps? If you enjoy reading, we could bring you some books next time we visit."

Wooyoung's face falls slightly at Seonghwa's words. "Thank you, Pri- _hyung,"_ Wooyoung says quietly. "But I'm afraid I must decline. I never learned how to read."

Seonghwa blinks in surprise for a moment before he quickly reassures Wooyoung. "That's no problem," Seonghwa says gently. Wooyoung looks at him curiously, and the Crown Prince smiles. "San or I can always read to you and keep you company."

San quickly nods to signify his assent, not caring if he looks a little too eager. With Wooyoung's entrance into the palace, the omega is the only prince San's age, and San will be damned if he doesn’t make Wooyoung one of his closest friends. 

Wooyoung still looks a little hesitant, but eventually relents with a shy smile. 

"I'd like that," he admits, eyes finally curving into crescents, and San beams.

The rest of the visit goes by quickly. Seonghwa has obviously decided that Wooyoung is far from the dangerous assassin they'd presumed him to be. San and his hyung spend the time telling Wooyoung about the palace, about their sire, about the things Wooyoung will get to do once he's recovered. Wooyoung listens intently, but even with his attentiveness the sadness never really leaves his face. 

San wonders what stories hide behind the omega's eyes.

Their time together finally comes to an end when Consort Choi knocks at the door, smiling fondly to see the San and Seonghwa huddled up against the foot of the bed, talking to Wooyoung. 

"I think it's about time you boys let Wooyoung rest," Consort Choi scolds them gently. "It's time for Physician Lee to change his bandages. You may come back tomorrow if you wish. And if Wooyoung is feeling up to it," she adds, raising an eyebrow at Wooyoung. 

The omega nods. "Please do," he says sincerely. "It does get boring after a while." 

Seonghwa and San both promise to come back soon, even as Consort Choi starts shooing them out. Giving one last wave to Wooyoung, San turns back as the door slides shut, catching a glimpse of how Wooyoung's face seems to darken as soon as they're gone, shoulders drooping and head bowing as if burdened by a heavy grief. 

San swallows, pretending he'd never seen it, and hurries down the corridor after Seonghwa.

"I quite like him," says Seonghwa as they make their way out of Consort Choi's quarters, back to the Crown Prince's quarters, having bid San's dam goodbye.

"He's a little quiet, but he seems like a good kid. I admit I have sorely misjudged him," Seonghwa confesses.

"I suppose so," says San thoughtfully. Wooyoung's air of sadness throughout their visit lingers in his mind. It was as if he had been trapped in a memory, by the thought of something or someone.

"He seemed sad, did you notice?" says San slowly to his brother.

"I did," says Seonghwa. "I saw his face before we left. He did seem troubled. But that is to be expected, don't you think?" he adds, glancing at San. "He's lost the only family he's known and left his home to come here. It must not be easy for him to adjust so soon to being a prince. The best we can do is to give him time, and lend him our support. You especially - he is your age, and I reckon both of you would enjoy being friends."

"Yes, hyung," says San, but his thoughts are in the distance, still thinking about Wooyoung and how his grief had not seemed like a temporary fixture, but something that was rooted much more deeply.

There is something more to Prince Wooyoung's past, and San hopes to help him overcome it if need be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Yeosang :( poor Mingi :( and poor Wooyoung :( sadly, this is only the tip of the iceberg. I love writing angst. 
> 
> Please leave kudos and comments if you enjoyed, and thanks for reading !! ❤❤❤


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